


Just Like Old Times

by RavenCaziel



Series: Arthur and Lilly [1]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Smut, Folklore, Irish Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:40:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 73
Words: 371,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24014572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenCaziel/pseuds/RavenCaziel
Summary: The year is 1899, and Lillian O'Callaghan, an Irish immigrant adopted at the age of 7 by Dutch Van der Linde and Hosea Matthews, finally gets her man Arthur Morgan after four years of heavy flirting. The couple's relationship blooms quickly even though the 21-year-old woman has a troubled past that she never talks about, but soon her past comes to haunt her.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Arthur and Lilly [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935034
Comments: 19
Kudos: 21





	1. The Snow and the Cave

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything in the RDR2, I only own the OC Lillian.

It was cold. Too damn cold. The spring of 1899 decided to hold off for one last snowy blizzard of the season and Lillian Rose O'Callaghan was not happy in the slightest. Not only was she stuck in what she described as a tundra of danger, Lilly had been separated from her group known as the Van der Linde gang. After a boat robbery had gone awry in Blackwater the posse had been forced north, chased and hounded by the law. Although Lilly was certain she was safe from marshalls and deputies, the wilderness was the forefront of her worries. And to make matters worse, her horse Holly had a broken leg.

While the humane thing to do would be to put the poor thing out of its misery, Lilly was torn. Having raised the Tennessee Walker as a foal, it was heartbreaking to see. Lilly had found what she hoped was an abandoned cave out of the storm and had coaxed her loyal companion inside. After having settled with a small fire, Lilly held the head of Holly in her lap, rubbing the horse's neck in affection and comfort. Holly nickered in distress.

"Shh, me girl," said Lilly, in a thick Irish accent. "I know it hurts. It's goin' tah be okay."

Lilly kissed Holly's head as tears welled up in her eyes. She knew her beloved horse would never be able to survive well with the broken leg, even when she had laced it up in a makeshift sling to keep Holly from putting weight on it. Even holding the leg steady while Holly walked on her other three limbs was physically taxing. Under different circumstances, Lilly would have stayed by her day and night to mend her back to health. However, as there was a horrible storm with snow up to the Irish girl's thighs, it was impossible to keep Holly alive let alone walk around without knowing where her group was. The black mare would have to be shot.

Lilly brushed her own auburn hair back and realized her braid had become disheveled. A silly thing to notice considering the situation and she put her head in her hands. For the first time in a really long time, she was alone. She'd been on her own as a kid once. Not for very long but, well, she didn't like thinking about that part of her life. Lilly placed a flat hand on Holly's neck, bending down to kiss the warm muscled flesh. Then she stood, turning to pull one of her revolvers out. She checked the chamber. Only four bullets left. Damn. She was low on ammo. She'd have to go outside to look for her crap.

Lilly clung to her white winter coat and pulled the collar higher. She got up, grabbing her repeater and lantern. She marched to the entrance, put the repeater on her back and lit the lantern. She almost lost her bulldogger hat when a mighty wind threatened to knock her over but she steadied herself. The Irish girl had pretty good balance. Lilly stomped through the snow, lifting her legs high. The hill wasn't far, thank goodness, but it'd still taken her a good half hour to get Holly after making a jimmy rigged sling and helping her along in the snow. The distance couldn't be more than fifty feet, she reckoned. Lilly held the light out in front of her, brushing a white gloved hand through the snow. Had it been that ridiculous to dress in white clothing since she was now lost from her adopted family? She missed them terribly, though she'd only been lost for what? Two days now? As she considered her conundrum, Lilly unfortunately couldn't find a god damn thing in the snow. Anything she had dropped in the fall was buried deep. Still, she kept searching for any lost items that had previously been in her possession.

Lilly heard a noise in the wind. An animal of some sort. A predator for sure. Lilly looked up and around, backing up to get a better view of the harsh and unforgiving environment. She could hardly see a damn thing in front of her, but then she saw a pair of bright blue eyes at the top of the hill. Was it a person? It couldn't be. Animals didn't have blue eyes. Not like these, anyway. Lilly grabbed her revolver and slowly aimed up at the unknown presence, the creature merely staring at her with curiosity. The eyes. They were bone chilling but beautiful. Stunning, even. Lilly had dark blue eyes and while she'd been told on more than several occasions how pretty they were, she was immediately jealous of the eyes at the top of the hill.

The creature or human, whatever it was, turned and disappeared. Lilly couldn't get a good look but she was certain she saw a flash of red fur before it left. Lilly sighed in relief, heading back to the cave before any other unwelcome visitors came strolling by to make a meal of her. As she came back in, slapping and shaking the accumulated snow on her clothes, Lilly glanced over at the saddle she had shoved in a corner and thanked the Lord above that her bow and arrows hadn't been lost in the storm or in the tumble down the hill that had caused her horse's fracture. Lilly looked over at Holly with a sadness in her sapphire blue eyes. The poor girl was suffering. Wiping a tear off her reddened cheeks, she took out her revolver again. Pulling back the hammer to aim, she sniffled to hold back tears of regret.

"I'm sorry, girl," she spoke, her voice choking with grief.

A shot echoed throughout the cave and Lilly lowered her gun. At least her mount wasn't suffering anymore, but the very brief shriek her horse made at the moment of the bullets impact would be burned into the girl's memory forever. Lilly went and leaned against the cave wall, holstering her gun. Lilly didn't want to think about Holly right now. She had to think of something else...anything else so she wouldn't succumb to her grief. Thinking about her current situation was not much help in keeping the sadness at bay. Desperate to think of something, members of the gang filled her mind and a soft smile crossed her face. Dutch, Hosea, Miss Grimshaw, Karen, Sean...Sean was missing but he'd disappeared at the beginning of the gang's escape from Blackwater. That whole thing went to bloody hell.

Lilly felt an overwhelming need to be joined with them, but her heart burned with an indescribable ache for Arthur Morgan. A 36-year-old grumpy, sarcastic, ruthless, and a most intimidating individual. Not that she was ever intimidated by him, of course, but Lilly wasn't meek or mild. She was wild, stubborn, fearless, and had a horrible temper, and despite Arthur's seemingly rough exterior, she was quite fond of him. So, to express her fondness for him and everyone else in her surrogate family, Lilly became the ultimate pranking terrorist of the camp, but Arthur was always victim. Tormenting him with her playful and humorous antics got such a rise out of Arthur and she thrived on his anxiety and anger. She wished she could play pranks on him now. Lilly didn't like being so utterly and hopelessly lost. No, she mustn't think like that. It wasn't hopeless until she allowed hopelessness to win out.

Thinking of this brought Lilly back to the death of her horse. She returned to the vicinity of her dead companion, burying her face into the Holly's neck. Lilly's big blue eyes filled with tears, the wetness dripping down on the dead horse's fur. As hardened as the girl was, Lilly always had a soft spot for animals. Perhaps it was from her rather short upbringing in Ireland and this thought made Lilly remember her father. Her real father. He had been a small farmer. But before that'd, he'd been a landlord so they were once wealthy. In fact, her father had earned a title of nobility long before she was born, but all she could clearly recall from her memory of such a time was the story of the great famine of '79. It had caused both her parents, her little sister, and her big brother to pack up and flee for America. Or was there something else? Her big brother told her it was a famine, yet there had been something else. Lilly knew it deep within her heart and soul, but for the life of her, Lilly's mind couldn't grasp the details of the seemingly locked memories of her pre-American childhood.

The sound of a low, menacing sounding growl filled her ears, the hairs on the back of her neck perking up. Lilly's head raised slowly to catch the image of two pairs of yellow eyes, threatening and hungry, locking their sights on the Irish girl from the depths of the cave. Well, this was alarming. Lilly rose to her feet, placing her gun in her hand with familiarity as the animals came into view. Wolves. The blue eyed girl glanced down at her horse. The smell of horse blood was faint to Lilly, but for a wolf, it would be more than enough to excite uncontrollable hunger. This was apparent as the wolves' hackles were raised and their white, frighteningly sharp fangs were bared, their mouths salivating from the scent of a fresh and bloody kill. The snarls and growls escalated to such ferocity, Lilly was sure she would perish in this cave from being eaten alive. Still, being overtaken by fear was not in her nature. If she was going down, she'd give them a hell of a fight first. However, Lilly had to comment on how fucked her predicament was.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," was all that Lilly could whisper as the wolves, quick as lightning, charged towards her direction. Lilly backed up in a half run, but as any cliche would have to do with a damsel in distress, her heel collided into a rock. Lilly stumbled, and despite her phenomenal sense of balance, she went down. The force in which she landed caused Lilly to reactively pull the trigger on her gun. The bullet shot from the barrel with a loud bang and embedded itself into the rocky ceiling. Great. Fantastic. Feckin' inconceivably disheartening, to say the least. Still, Lilly shot back up from her vulnerable position to raise hell against the predatorial pair. But...what Lilly saw instead of impending doom was the tearing and ripping of horse flesh. Her mouth dropped from disbelief and horror. She wanted to protest, but she closed her mouth shut. As horrified as she was, Lilly was also not stupid. Yelling at wolves would surely piss them off and turn them on her, so there was only one thing she could do. Accept the fate of her dead horse and move on...but the luck. Oh, the sheer luck of it was not lost upon the Irish lass.

"...Well," her rosebud shaped mouth opened with a shaky release of air. "Don't mind me. I'm only one hell of a lucky girl."


	2. Wolves

Lilly watched in disgust as the two animals stuffed their mouths with the remains of her dead horse. Lilly took shallow but quiet breaths as the feeling that adrenaline leaves one with filled her body. The need to tremble invaded her muscles but Lilly closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. Calm down. She had to calm down. Breathe, ya fuck. Breathe. As Lilly sat there with her gun glued to her hand, her arm still level with the creatures, it occured to her that she could sneak out of here alive. While the warmth and security of the cave was a more advantageous and sensible place to rest, walking through the freezing cold and the mighty winds of a unnatural and violent blizzard in May was now preferable to being in this not-so-safe haven.

Lilly's eyes drifted almost desperately to the stash of her belongings sitting in front of the wall. If she was going to escape, Lilly had to buck up and gather her necessary supplies. Hopefully without drawing the wolves' attention. Lilly prayed they'd continue eating her deceased mount as she bravely, but slowly, crawled over to the saddle she'd taken off Holly. While grateful for the distraction, Lilly felt a deep agonizing sadness for her dead companion. It would seem her death would not be in vain, at least.

Lilly took point of how malnourished both wolves looked. Clearly the winter season had been harsh for them. Perhaps they wouldn't be tempted in the slightest to abandon the plentiful horse meat and attack her. Lilly assumed she was a far less appealing meal. The amount of fat on Lilly was scarce, but apparently put 'in all the right places', someone once told her. In fact, that same person described her body to be...what was the word? Ah. Junoesque.

They conveyed her height as imposing, but that person had been rather short. She was taller than the average woman, standing at 5'9", but she was no Amazonian. Lilly thought her build was more athletic than shapely, but she didn't spend much time in a mirror gazing at herself like some narcissistic lady trying to decide which dress was more capable of catching the eyes of a gentleman. Lilly wasn't sure how someone could see all that since she never wore dresses, though. No, the desire to wear dresses was utterly non existent. Pants and button shirts were the norm for her.

Lilly snapped back to reality. How could her mind drift off at a time like this? She inched her way to her horse's saddle. Lilly took the chance to survey the current preoccupation of the wolves. They didn't seem to care about her movements. Their eyes darted to her from time to time, but Lilly got braver and quicker as they continued to ignore her. The sounds they were making as they engorged themselves like greedy little pigs feasting on their mother's teats...feckin' disgusting. Eventually, she reached her things. Lilly started taking inventory.

A few pieces of salted meat, her water flask, a bowl and utensils, a bowl for crafting things, several boxes of revolver and repeater rounds...ah, so she wasn't as low on ammo as she though...a bedroll, a few personal items...but as she was going through her satchel, Lilly froze. The sound of flesh being pulled and eaten with razor sharp fangs, the squelch of blood and muscle being chewed away at, was no longer echoing in her ears. Lilly hoped she'd only gone deaf. She tentatively spied over her shoulder. The wolves, who now had full bellies, were only a few feet behind her. They were watching her. Lilly shuddered from the sight of blood soaked lips and very much wished this would not be the moment of her untimely demise.

She watched them as they watched her. No change of motion was made from either party. Not one hint of it. Lilly observed their relaxed body language. Perked ears, inquisitive eyes, no teeth bared. Were they...docile? Friendly? Or curious, maybe? Had they not seen a human before? Would moving even the slightest inch change their demeanor to one of aggression? Lilly knew she couldn't stay in her current physical position. So, with all the boldness she could muster, Lilly shifted around on her feet with leisure. This was allowed. Lilly took in a breath, realizing she hadn't done so in what seemed like an eternity based on how her lungs felt.

Lilly took the initiative and snatched her flask and two bowls. It was the last of her water, but hell, she could fill the flask with snow later. Lilly set them down on the cave floor. The animals watched her as she opened her flask. She filled each bowl with water and pushed them gently to the wolves. Without hesitation, the pair dipped their faces in and began drinking. Lilly shut her eyes and rested her head against the cave wall. Maybe the Lord would be merciful and not have the wolves kill her.

This was a bizarre position to be stuck in. Lost, alone...well, not _really_ alone, a dead horse, and two gray wolves that appeared indifferent to Lilly's presence. Lilly decided to be even more bold and head back out, just for a moment, to fill her flask with snow. She removed her gloves and knelt down to put snow into the flask. Snow was such an odd thing to her. How could something be so cold but feel like it burned at the same time? Snow was a contradiction. How many things in nature were contradictions? Lilly was...sooooo exhausted, she realized. She glanced back at the furry inhabitants of the cave. They were still lapping up the water. Lilly groaned as she stood and walked back in. As she returned to her previous spot, Lilly watched as the blizzard raged on outside. She was not looking forward to trekking back out in that.

Lilly cast her attention back to her...roommates, and was shocked. They were resting comfortably near the fire. Lilly let a 'huh' sound escape her lips. Could she possibly sleep here without them caring? Oh, if only she could. If she was to be eaten, well, fuck it. Lilly doubted it at this point. The creatures still had plenty of meat to feast on. If they found Lilly to be a threat or an invader of their territory, surely her throat would've be torn out by now. Still, she loaded her revolvers fully. Better to be safe than sorry. Lilly grabbed her bedroll and unfurled it, taking care not to disturb the now sleeping wolves.

She couldn't believe her luck. As she snuggled into her sleeping bag, she grasped her gun in her hand, resting it on the cave floor. Her dark blue, almond shaped eyes darted over the wolves' forms, appreciating now how beautiful the two predators were. Both had patches of gray and white all over, so obviously they were gray wolves. But...they were peculiar. How could they be that comfortable around a human and not want to attack one? They didn't look fully grown. In fact, they looked almost like pups. Contemplating all this was irrelevant. She was tired, yet as she laid there, Lilly found it difficult to clear her mind. It was filled with too many things she was concerned about.

Was she going to die out here? How long would she survive before she got eaten, fell off a cliff, or froze to death? Would she ever see her surrogate family again? Lilly's thoughts trailed back to Arthur. She missed him. Lilly was, after all, quite fond of him, but..she needed to stop thinking about him and the rest of her family. It was making her go in circles. Everything was. She had to come up with a plan to get the hell out of there and find her Da and her Athair. Lilly's horse was deceased so she had to walk. That was going to slow her down. She had food, she could get water, and she had her weapons and ammo.

If she was lucky, Lilly could find game out here. Maybe. Hell, she got chased by a bear. That's how she got separated from the Van der Linde gang in the first place. During the escape from the massive grizzly bear, she'd lost her bearings. She knew everyone was traveling north but the snowfall was so thick, as were the clouds, that Lilly could not see the sun to help her navigate. Not a single, solitary patch of moss were on the trees to show her where north was. How was that possible? It was spring, for fuck's sake! It was like the snow drowned out the pretty growth on the trees. Suffocated the life from them with the bitter cold and consumed them all.

If Lilly could find the stream the group was walking along, she'd follow it, but she'd risk traveling in the opposite direction. In the slim chance she did find it, she could stay put near the water, hoping for someone, anyone, to cross her path. Still, what if there was no shelter nearby? And she had no idea where the stream was anyway. God dammit, she was screwed. Or maybe she was just too tired to think clearly. Lilly heard one of the wolves yawn and she let a small, dainty giggle pass through her lips. They really were cute albeit wild animals. They looked so fluffy. Lilly resisted the urge to hug and squeeze them until they popped, but that would definitely get her killed. So, instead of driving herself insane with all the seemingly impossible obstacles she had to consider, along with not being able to rest, Lilly stared at the wolves. Fuck it. Talking might pass the time.

"Hey," she said to them. They both lifted their heads and their ears twitched. They eyed her with interest. "So, you uh...you pups from around here?"

Why would she ask such a dumb question? They're wolves! Of course they were from around here! Lilly groaned internally at herself and gently banged the back of her head on the wall. Bang, bang, bang. Talking to wolves. That's what she's stooped down to. Borderline, out of her god damn mind, crazy talk. However, maybe if she did talk to them, she'd feel like she wasn't alone. God, Lilly wanted a cigarette. She found her "emergency pack" of cigarettes and matches in her coat. Lilly lit one and started smoking it. She wasn't one for smoking often, but hey, she was in a very stressful situation.

"So, I'm Lilly O'Callaghan. Nice to meet you both, I guess." She heard herself and puffed out air with a strong cackle right behind. She pressed her head to the wall. She focused on the rocky texture upwards and took a long drag from her paper rolled tobacco. "What the hell am I doin'? Tryin' to socialize with a pair of god damn-" Two parallel whines caught her attention. Lilly looked in front of her. "You gotta be shittin' me."

The wolves were casually sitting a few feet in front of her. A shaky, nervous giggle escaped her throat. They just stared at her, panting with their tongues hanging out lazily. Their yellow eyes almost glowed. Their shadows were cast on the wall. When Lilly saw that, their overemphasized black silhouettes looking like a painting on the wall, she inhaled from her cigarette once more. Lilly's eyes shifted back to their physical forms.

"Hmm, I wonder. Are you both gonna get that big? You'll be the terror of the land if you do," she chuckled. "Alright, so, since I now have your undivided attention, are ya wonderin' what I'm doin' here?" They whined at her again. Lilly smiled and her eyes also smiled. The flames of the fire reflected in her eyes. "You two are very unusual. Ya got names? Are ya boys or girls?" The Irish girl smacked herself on the forehead. "God. Okay, you know what?" Lilly smoked again and shifted to make herself more comfortable. "I'm gonna tell you a story. The Failure of the Blackwater Ferry Heist."


	3. Morning

_"But father," Brian began. "Must we leave our home?"_

_The man looked much like an older Brian, except the man had blue eyes, a tall, lean frame, and short, auburn hair. He sighed in mild irritation. "Yes, my son," he replied. "We must leave. Our home, our country, is dying. We must go to America."_

_Brian, with black hair and green eyes like his mother, took a moment before nodding in understanding. Just then, two little girls, ages five and three, ran into the kitchen. The eldest girl, also with blue eyes and long auburn hair, ran to her brother and clung to his leg with glee. "Brian! Please play wit' me!"_

_Brian smiled with an awe struck shake of his head. The other girl, Janet, with green eyes and long black hair, like her mother, ran and held on tightly to Brian's other leg. "Play wit' me too!"_

_The first girl pouted with jealousy. "Hey, that's not fair! I asked him first!"_

_Brian laughed and started walking around like a slow giant. Both girls kept their legs and arms wrapped around his legs. "Lillian, Janet. I can play with ya both."_

_The children's father, Jack, huffed out a deep chuckle just before he took a sip from his coffee cup, watching his son drag the two little girls around. The wife of Jack and mother of Brian, Lillian, and Janet, walked in with a basket of newly cleaned and dried clothes. She groaned in alarm and pressed a hand into her lower back, her swollen abdomen helping her balance the basket. Jack strolled over to her and grabbed the basket. He kissed her cheek with deep affection._

_"Are you not faring well, Abby?" he asked._

_Abby, long black hair and green eyes, gazed at her husband with love shining in her eyes. "Yes, dear. Just the wee bairn kicking around my insides like an angry mule."_

_Jack gave her another kiss. "You should rest, mo chuisle. Let the chiselers and I do the work for today, aye?"_

_Abby beamed with gratitide. "Alright, but you'll be needing a hearty breakfast first. Lord knows you canna work on an empty stomach."_

_"We'll help you, Mummy!" Lillian shouted with the enthusiasm of a rooster at dawn. When Janet didn't say anything, Lillian nudged her with an elbow. "Won't we?"_

_Janet rubbed her side and stole an angry glance at her big sister. "Yes, Mummy."_

_Three_ _rather large wolves smashed their way through the front door with a bang and a crack. They ran to the kitchen, intent on devouring the entire family. Lillian screamed._

* * *

Lilly woke up with a start, immediately remembering where she was. Her dark eyes focused on where her fire once was. It'd burned itself out. The pair of wolves she'd met hours ago were asleep, huddled together for warmth and comfort. When the hell did she fall asleep? Lilly sat up slowly, yawning and stretching, once again being careful to not alert the young predators. As she averted her gaze to the cave entrance, Lilly was relieved to see the windy blizzard died down to a slow, gentle array of clumpy snowflakes. Rays of sunshine beamed down at the opening.

Lilly packed up all her items that were left scattered on the cave floor. She grabbed her bow, her quiver of arrows, and her repeater. She had to travel light with only the necessities. After double checking what she needed, Lilly was satisfied with her decision. The auburn haired woman took one more glance at her dead horse, mortified at the amount of blood and bone and flesh. The loss of her friend was still raw, but she had to move. She had to find Dutch and the rest of the gang. As she was leaving, one of the wolves opened its eyes and lifted its head to watch her. Lilly stopped in her tracks and gave a small wave to it.

"See ya, I guess." The wolf, not showing much interest in goodbyes, yawned with a high pitched whine and settled back with its sibling.

Lilly sighed as she looked up, an expression of incredulity plastered on her face. What a fucking night she had. Lilly blew her lips together and headed out of the wolves' den. The snow was even higher now. Damn near to her waist. "Ah, bloody fuckin' hell," she growled through her clenched teeth, then hung her head, feeling frustrated and shocked. "I swear tah the Lord above that if I survived last night only tah die out here, I'm gonna have heated questions at the pearly feckin' gates!" she exclaimed.

Her blue eyes scanned the horizon, glimpsing the pine trees and mounds of wind blown snow. Lilly shivered as she bundled herself up in her winter coat. Again, at least the sun was out to light her way. Lilly waded through the snow as if it was swamp mud. It was thick, heavy, and annoyingly finding its way inside her clothes. Heading to the hill that she and Holly had stumbled down the night before, the snow became lighter and the height decreased. Lilly dared to hope that only this area was so doused in the sparkling white snow.

The occasional breeze made Lilly shiver under her clothes, but walking helped her stay warm. She wanted a hot meal, a hot bath, and a warm bed. She wanted her family. Now at the age of twenty one, Lilly had been with Dutch, Hosea, and Arthur for, what was it? Fourteen years now. Found barefoot and running through the streets of Blackwater, the three men ended up taking her in. Lilly laughed from the feeling of nostalgia. She got to the top of the hill and her eyes scanned the landscape. Everything was just covered in white, glistening snow flakes. In a way, it was pretty, but where to go...

Lilly put a hand over her eyes and stared up at the sun. Now that she confirmed where east was, she began heading north. God, the snow was still so god damn high. Perhaps the slant of the hill was the reason why little snow had accumulated there. Lilly had to lift her legs so high her muscles twinged with sharp, cramping pains. She should've stretched before toiling through the snow like a god damn giant. Or a really fat man. Nope. Fat men would cry like babies if they had to exert themselves in such a fashion.

"Fee, fi, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman," Lilly said in a deep voice and it made her cackle with glee. "Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to..." Lilly giggled hysterically as she tried to say, "to make my bread! Ha! Shit, that's fuckin' funny!" Lilly had to amuse herself somehow. She was as silly as she was deadly. Gunslinger, master tree climber, the stealth of a panther, and an Irish temper. All properties of the deadly woman she was.

After what was probably hours of walking, Lilly felt bored. Again. What could she do to amuse herself this time? Ah. She started hopping through the snow like a happy little kid. She even twirled a couple times and made steps in random rhythms. She began to 'bum ba dum' in an improvised tune as she pranced along.

"Bum...ba dum," she giggled, watching her legs disrupt the snow dunes. "Bum, ba dum dum...do dah dee dah do!" She laughed like an idiot. At least she wasn't bored anymore. "Bada bada boom, bah da," she sang with a side step. "Da da da da, dum," she stepped to the other side. "Ba da, ba da, da da da da dum," she laughed loudly at herself. She clapped and spun. "Dee da dee da bum, ba bum, da bum. BAH BOOM!" she belted with a jump.

Lilly broke into hysterics. She felt happier, even with the plight she was going through. She tucked hair behind her ear and glanced up. Lilly burst out a giggle at herself. Why was she laughing so much now? Maybe to help her through the whole thing without going utterly mad? Lilly took a deep breath and stared ahead of her. She stopped with a gasp. The stream. She found it!

Lilly smiled and giggled with glee. "Yes! Yes yes yeeeeeeeessss!" She hopped through the snow to the stream and fell to her knees. "Ah, shite. I'm such a fuckin' oddball!" she laughed and plopped onto her butt.

Lilly was unsettled with her abnormal behavior. Actually, it wasn't that unusual, but she was alone. Lilly didn't act like this when she was by herself. Arthur was the one who often lured this side of her out of hiding, among other personality traits. Yeah, he really, _really_ brought out a lot of herself that she withheld from others. Maybe she just missed him. She did. There was no doubt in Lilly's mind about how much she loved pranking him. Driving him crazy. The flirting. Oh God, the flirting. Well, that part was no longer a factor in their friendship. He'd cut that off. Lilly wasn't sure why. He yelled at her when she questioned his reasons. She got angry, he got angry, things were said...and they hadn't spoken since. That was, what, a month ago? Yeah. It was. Lilly pressed her knees into her coat and wrapped her arms at the knees. Yeah. Lilly really hurt from the loss of his absence. She wondered if Arthur missed her at all. Probably not. Lilly began thinking he despised her. Lilly looked up to the sky and sighed. This was only causing her to be sad. She had to get up and go. She stood up and began following the stream north. Lilly wasn't sure how long it would be until she found something. It was almost noon now and she was famished. Lilly grabbed a piece of salted meet and was grinding it between her teeth like a cow chewing cud. She didn't bother keeping her mouth closed. Fuck the manners, no one was around to scold her lack of decorum. Okay, back to being happy. Lilly grinned as an idea flew into her head like a hawk. She jumped back and forth across the stream and giggled. Chewing on her food like an animal, smacking her lips together, and bouncing from one bank to another. Yeah. Happy, happy, happy. Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. Fuck! She landed in the stream and kicked the water furiously. "Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck!" she screamed at the sky. Why was she so angry? Lilly almost hated the son of a bitch. "Stubborn, grumpy, old...dirty, old man!"

He often called himself that when they flirted. Lilly had no idea why. It was just harmless flirting...wasn't it? No, it had to be. Arthur could never...no. Not that she would know what a crush felt or looked like. Arthur had a cool head, most of the time. But when she got him angry? It was cataclysmic, and extracting the anger out of him as she did? Lilly was surprised Arthur didn't hate her. Oh, well, he did now, she guessed. The memory of him chasing her around after pulling a prank made Lilly smile. She took great pride in constraining him into losing his temper. It was a talent she spent years fine-tuning. But now...she had no one to torment. No one she wanted to torment, at least. As much as Lilly thrived on tricking people and playing practical jokes, none of them could compare to the thrill she felt when Arthur was in her sights, and he ruined her for any other prey who dared to be caught in her midst. Lilly's feet were cold. In her musings, she forgot where she was standing. "God dammit," she grumbled.

She got out and began kicking her feet about to shake off the wetness, much like a dog did after jumping in a lake. The fur helped keep the liquid from soaking her feet but now they felt like icicles. Lilly dropped herself to the ground and took off the boots and gloves then proceeded to rub her feet vigorously. As she was doing this, someone on a horse appeared down the stream a ways. Lilly stopped. "Arthur?" God, she hoped it was Arthur.

From this distance, however, she made out the image of Micah Bell. Lilly lifted her head, suddenly feeling very annoyed. Lilly didn't like the man, but on the bright side, she was no longer lost. Oh. Oh! Yes! Yes yes yes!

She started running towards him, waving her hands and yelling at him to get his attention. "Heeeeeey! Micah! Jesus, Miiiiicaaaaaah!" she screamed. He must have heard her because he increased the speed of his horse to reach her. As they met, Lilly bent over, breathing hard.

"Well, I'll be damned!" said Micah, almost excitedly. "Lilly O'Callaghan! So good to see you!" He smiled through his blonde mustache.

Lilly grinned up at him, hating that damn mustache, but also happy to see a familiar face. "I never thought I'd utter these words tah ya, Micah, but yer a feckin' sight fer sore eyes!"

Micah laughed at her. "There's a first time for everything, Missy. But, wait." His eyes shifted down. "Where are your boots?" Lilly crinkled her brow in surprise and looked down. She was barefoot in the snow, and when this information registered itself in her head, that's when the burning cold hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Aaahhhh, feck!" Lilly turned back around and sprinted like a goat man to her boots and gloves. Micah's maniacal cackling drifted through the air as she slid down on her knees. Lilly shoved the boots on in a hurried fashion as well as her gloves. "Gaaawwwd!" Lilly groaned out through her teeth.

"You are a funny woman, Miss O'Callaghan," she heard Micah behind her. Lilly got up and Micah offered his hand. She gladly took it and scrambled up to the back of Micah's horse Blaylock. "You okay kid?"

Lilly inhaled and exhaled with an "aahhh". "Yeah. I'm okay." In spite of herself, Lilly laughed. She was ecstatic to finally be safe. "Is everyone else alright?" she asked.

"Mostly, but Davey died on our way to a place called Colter, just up here a ways. Everyone else is just fine and dandy!" Micah explained, and he clicked his tongue to make Blaylock go forward to a trot. Lilly made a sign of the cross for poor Davey. "Say, where's your horse?" he asked.

"Dead. Broke her leg in a fall, had to put her down."

Micah tsked. "That's a real shame, Lilly. I'm sure she's in horse heaven," Micah said, mockingly.

Lilly made an internal groan. "Thank you v-v-very m-much," she said through chattering teeth. Suddenly, she remembered how cold she was.


	4. Reunited

Micah and Lilly headed into Colter, the abandoned mining camp that Dutch and the gang had taken shelter in a few days before. Micah gave her the rest of the details as they rode in. Lilly regaled her own story about the bear, her horse, the cave, the wolves, and everything else until they met up. Micah glanced back at Lilly and frowned.

"You've been through quite a bit, O'Callaghan, but Dutch and Hosea and everyone else will be happy to have their little Irish lady back."

Lilly quirked a brow. "I thought that was Molly?"

Micah barked with laughter. "Right, I forgot. A woman of fine and rich breeding, that one. No, I suppose you're not really a lady, are you?"

Lilly would have been offended if she had considered herself a lady, but as she contemplated what he meant, she spotted Lenny. He was there to greet them. She waved at him enthusiastically and jumped off the horse.

Lenny stopped midwalk and gasped in surprise. "Holy hell, Lilly! We all thought you got eaten or somethin'!"

The Irish girl shrugged as she ambled up to Lenny. "As a matter of fact, I almost did get eaten. By a bear."

Micah slid off Blaylock and handed the reins to Lenny. "Here," he said. "Ain't gonna tell this darkie what to do." Micah chuckled and walked towards one of the shacks.

Lenny rolled his eyes up in irritation and took a deep breath. "Why is he so...so..."

Lilly placed a hand on Lenny's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about that gobshite. Every time he talks, manure comes spilling out." She leaned in and smirked. "That's why his breath smells so bad."

Lenny laughed and hugged Lilly. "Thanks, I feel better already. But I'm so glad you're back!" he exclaimed.

Lilly chuckled happily and nudged his shoulder. "Ah, shucks, you sweetheart. Here, let me help you with the horse."

Lenny disagreed. "Nah, you better get inside and get warm. Folks was worried about you. Especially Arthur."

Lilly took a sharp breath in. "Was he? How worried?" she inquired curiously. Had Arthur missed her after all?

"Eh, he spent most of his time lookin' for you. More than anyone else."

Lilly smiled to herself and gave Blaylock a thankful pat on the rump. "Well, uh...okay!" she scanned the area before making her way towards to what she assumed was the main shack. Lilly paused at the door, suddenly feeling awkward. Was Arthur in there? Should she just walk in? Should she announce herself? Should she make an entrance of grandeur? Lilly took a step back. Why was she so anxious? Lilly's heart was pounding so tremendously she thought it might burst from her chest.

"LILLEH!" someone shouted.

The Irish girl snapped around with a pivot. It was Arthur in his winter gunslinger attire. He was dashing to her. Lilly thought this was odd, considering their estrangement, but seeing Arthur again...made her shout awkwardly. "Hey there, partner!" she replied in an attempted American West accent. "As ucht Dé, Lilly, what is wrong with you?" she growled at herself. _[For Christ sake]_

Arthur slammed into her with a fierceness that Lilly hadn't expected. He clutched her as if she were a cherished doll. Lilly was surprised at the behavior. The severance of their bond made her presume Arthur no longer desired any interactions with her, but now? Ha, that didn't seem to be the case, and Arthur's body against hers bestowed upon her a rush of overwhelming feelings she could not categorize. Lilly clung to him tightly in response. One of the feelings she recognized was...needing him in what way she was unsure of, but it was amplified as his natural scent of pine trees filled her nostrils.

He released his hold and stared at her with light blue eyes. He held her face in his gloved hands. "Are you alright, Lilly?" he asked, his voice gruff and husky.

Lilly felt her breath catch as Arthur examined her, checking for scratches and bruises, touching her as if he was making sure she was real. Their eyes locked and Lilly felt like her knees might give out because Arthur's gaze was that intense. "I'm alright, Arthur. Were you really that worried?" she asked, searching his eyes for answers.

Arthur blinked a few times and cleared his throat in an aggressive manner before increasing the gap between them. "Well, Micah barged in and told me he found you...said you was attacked by wolves? Chased by a bear?"

Lilly rolled her eyes back, looked to the sky and made a laugh full of umbrage. "Oh. Oh, what a bastard. I wasn't so much attacked, Arthur. Well, not by wolves, but that was by a bear. The wolves, though, they...decided Holly was a better meal."

"Oh for chrissakes..."

"No, she wasn't alive. She..." Lilly's heart threatened to break as she was reminded of the death of her mount. "She broke her leg somethin' awful, and...so, I had to..."

The door to the shack slammed open, startling Lilly out of her grief. Dutch stood in the doorway with his mouth agape and his eyes bright. "Lilly! Hey, Lilly's here!" Arthur backed up as Dutch grasped her shoulders, gave her a joyous smile, and hugged her. People started walking out of the shack to investigate the commotion. Hosea kissed her forehead and gave her a great big bear hug, which surprised her. Her Athair was getting old but he still had strength to him. Most of the group came and surrounded her, asking questions all at once. Lilly started laughing. She couldn't keep up with them all. After being overwhelmed for a minute, though, Dutch made a high pitched whistle. "I know we're all glad to have you back, Lilly. But folks, please. Let's get her fed, warmed up, and rested before she regales us with tales of her adventure!"

Lilly cackled happily and started moving with people inside. Tilly and Mary Beth erupted into giggles of delight as they hooked arms with Lilly. They wanted her to know they were so happy she was back. Lilly, as Mr. Pearson was bowling out food for her and as Miss Grimshaw was preparing a small bed for her, felt something warm cover her shoulders. She turned to see Arthur behind her. He gave her a soft smile as he surrounded her body with a blue woolen blanket. She was already toasty, but Lilly was grateful for his doting on her. As he tucked the blanket close over the front, Lilly smiled at him warmly, knowing that she was back where she belonged. Home.

* * *

The Van der Linde gang was still stuck in Colter, but Lilly was fully recovered from her ordeal. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same about John. While he was out scouting, he actually was attacked by wolves. Lilly felt bad for him, Abigail and Little Jack, which was all the more reason why she insisted on going hunting with Arthur and Charles. Ever since her return, though, Dutch and Arthur were hesitant to let her go out on her own. She wasn't even allowed to go with them when they attacked Colm O'Driscoll's camp, but Lilly was getting antsy from being cooped up. She despised being stuck in one place. Lilly marched with strong, indignant steps after Charles and Arthur. Arguing was a strong suit of hers, but Arthur was more stubborn than a bull being pushed over the edge of a cliff.

"Oh fer feck's sake, boys! It's not like I'd be out on me own! I'd be with the both of ya!" Lilly snapped in a thick Irish accent. She didn't like the harsh treatment as if she were fragile and meek. They all knew she was the exact opposite, so why was she receiving a sudden swap in attitude?

Arthur wasn't tolerating any of her oppositions. "Lilly, you ain't never listened to reason. You ain't gonna listen now, but-"

"Arthur!" she shouted with more aggression than intended. He stopped and turned. Skepticism and stubborness were the emotions set on his face. Lilly, however, was just as obstinate. "I can't stay coddled up here anymore! You and Da know I can handle meself! Why are ya bastards treatin' me this way? I didn't do nothin' wrong! I don't appreciate bein'...grounded like a wee lass!"

Charles decided to intercept on Lilly's behalf. "She does have a point, Arthur."

Arthur gave Charles a dirty look that was clearly a warning and Charles raised his hands in submission. Arthur went back to addressing the Irish hothead.

"Your treatment, Lilly, is because you were gone for three days," Arthur argued. "Davey is dead, Jenny is dead, and for all we know, Sean and Mac are dead!" Arthur took a step forward as if to harden his point. "This gang ain't fit to take another loss right now!"

Lilly growled and threw up her hands in disgust. What kind of horseshit was Arthur spewing at her? "If ya was so concerned about another loss, then why do _you_ fucks get tah go out?! I got chased by a bear, I was lost fer three feckin' days, I had tah shoot me beloved Holly, and I had tah watch her dead corpse get fuckin' torn apart by two of the weirdest wolves I've ever encountered! If anyone is fit tah survive out here', it's me, ya condescendin' bastard! Either I go wit ya or I go alone! And I ain't budgin' on the matter!"

Arthur laughed at her. "You try to go out on your own, I'll throw you over my shoulder and lock you up!"

Lilly's eye twitched. Just the mention of being locked up made her more upset and defiant. "Try it, Morgan, and I will beat the livin' shite outta ya!" Lilly pivoted on her heels and went to the stables. She had enough of this bullshit.

Arthur huffed after her like a raging giant. He was six feet and one inch tall, but he only had four inches on her. Still, he wouldn't be a giant to her even if she was a dwarf. "Did you just threaten me, little girl?"

Lilly was prepping a horse to ride, but Lilly paused. Her lower jaw shifted to one side, her eyes peered, and her head slowly turned to look over her shoulder. "What the feck did ya just call me?"

Arthur fastened his arms across his chest. "Little. Girl. G-I-R-L."

Ooooh, now he was playing dirty. As much as she wanted to yell, Lilly didn't want to scare the horses. Lilly snatched his arm and dragged him over to Pearson's food shack. "Did I not make meself clear, ya big stupid animal?! I ain't stayin' here! Ya can't make me! Ya ain't the boss of me!" Lilly screeched.

"Guys," Charles interrupted. He'd followed them. "You're getting a little...uh..."

Arthur and Lilly jerked their heads to him. "Shut up!" they both shouted. They eyed each other with red faces and heated glares.

"I have seniority, you wretched brat!" Arthur shouted. "So you are incorrect! I am the boss of you and you are stayin' put! I don't give a god damn if you don't like it!"

"Bastard!" Lilly belted out in frustration.

"Cocktease!"

"Dumb fuck!"

"Senseless little shit!"

"Curse of the snotty seven orphans on ya!"

"May the cat eat you and the devil eat the cat!"

Lilly scrunched up her face in confusion. "When did you learn Irish curses?"

Arthur grinned at her with a smug expression. He bent slightly at the waist with his hands behind him to add complacency to his argument . "Right after The Hungover Leprechaun," his face was close and his eyes focused on hers.

Lilly squinted her big blue eyes at him. She didn't know if she should be furious, intrigued, or amused. "You gave our pranks titles?"

Arthur's face was one of bright and nostalgic affection. He straightened his back. "The Ammo Treasure, The Wolf Fraud and the Meat, The Fishy Pants, The Branches of Boots, The Hidden Net, The Sticky Polish, The Mud Match, shall I go on?"

Lilly bit her lip and her eyes filled with annoyed delight, but she was tickled pink by his devotion to their crazy antics. She puckered her lips to hide a smile and shoved Arthur in the shoulder. "Yer still a bastard, Morgan."

Arthur let out an entertained cackle and tugged her body to his chest. "And you're still a cocktease."

A brow arched as she studied his face. "Hmmm. I thought we weren't doin' that anymore," she whispered.

Arthur looked at Pearson who was amazed by their high volume bickering. "You know," he casually waved a ladle at them. "Have you considered getting married? Because you two act like you are," Pearson wheezed out a guffaw.

Arthur grunted and Lilly ignored Pearson. A look of indecision was cast on Arthur's face. Lilly puckered out her lower lip and squeezed her eyebrows together to make a puppy dog face. "Please? I'm sooooooo boooooored here," Lilly whined.

Arthur laughed and looked away, then glanced back at her with an expression of resignation. He sighed. "Fiiiiine. Go get a horse."

Lilly's face beamed with sunshine. Her rosebud lips spread apart to bare her white teeth. She ran to the stables. She finished preparing the chestnut morgan she picked and quickly saddled him up. Lilly stashed her bow and repeater on herself, then hopped up and trotted out to Charles and Arthur.

"Alright," said Charles. "Let's head out."

The three trotted out in the snow, all three bundled up in their winter attire.

"How're you holdin' up, Charles?" asked Arthur.

Charles turned his head to look at Arthur. "I'm okay, apart from this hand, " he replied. "Stupid mistake!"

"Still bad?"

"It'll be fine in a day or two. I just can't pull a bow right now."

A groan of insecurity escaped Arthur's mouth. "Well, I sure hope I can. Never really got the hang of it."

"You'll be fine," both Charles and Lilly said in unison. Her and Charles looked at each other and laughed.

"I remember when Da and Hosea first showed me how to shoot," said Lilly.

"Me too," said Arthur, chuckling. "You'd been askin' for weeks before you got caught tryin' to shoot some damn fish in the river!"

Lilly felt her cheeks turn red from embarrassment. "I shot SOME of the fish!"

Charles interrupted the two. "Hold on. Why were you shooting fish?"

Lilly nuzzled further into her coat. "...Because rabbits and squirrels wouldn't stay still long enough."

Charles laughed loudly. "That's the funniest thing I've heard in weeks!"

Lilly made a defensive scoff. "Yes, let's laugh at the silly Irish girl. Ha ha ha."

"And I remember Hosea saying to Dutch, 'We can't teach Lilly how to sew or make tea, Dutch. We might as well teach her the things we do know how to do.' But Dutch was happy teachin' you all those things."

Lilly smirked, no longer feeling embarassed. "I suppose he was. Can you imagine Da pickin' out little frilly dresses and shoes for me?"

Arthur laughed and shook his head. "Hell no," he replied. "But you are right, Lilly. Bein' ladylike ain't you," he smirked at her suggestively, "and I wouldn't have you any other way."

The Irish girl eyed Arthur curiously. "Have me, huh?"

Arthur seemed to remember they weren't alone. He cleared his throat and started speaking to Charles. "So, you reckon we're gonna find somethin' to kill that ain't an O'Driscoll?"

Charles and Arthur continued their banter but Lilly decided to stay silent as she followed them both through the trees and snow. _"What the hell is goin' on with you, Arthur?"_ she thought to herself. He didn't want to flirt anymore, but now he wanted to again? And how did the conversation change from a fight to a nostalgic trip? What the fuckin' fuck?

Lilly kept to her thoughts, being vaguely aware of the conversation of her two companions. A breeze rushed through her and she shivered while cursing the cold. The girl wasn't really one to complain, but the cold, despite her warm winter clothing, was seeping into her bones. Still, Lilly was happy to be doing something productive. She hated staying in one place. Being forced to stay put inspired a level of hatred she couldn't scale.

"Hey," Charles said suddenly. "Stop here a second. I see somethin'." Lilly slowed her horse to a stop by the two men, then got off the horse just as they did. Lilly watched Charles kneel down to the ground to check for tracks. "There's deer that's been here. Recently," he stated quietly.

"How can you tell?" asked Arthur as he walked up behind Charles.

"How can you not?" replied Charles. Lilly held back a giggle, reminding herself of Arthur's lack of interest in hunting. "We'll track them on foot. You're gonna need the bow. Don't leave it on your horse. A gun will scare anythin' around."

Lilly sighed, already having grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows. "Charles, I'm goin' to go ahead and track my own deer."

"Lillian!" shouted Arthur. "I don't want you wanderin' off!"

"Shh!" Lilly hissed at him. "You'll scare all the game away, and I'm not wanderin' off," she replied as she marched furiously towards another set of deer tracks. "I'm huntin'."

Arthur started towards her, but Charles grabbed his arm. "She'll be fine, Arthur. She can handle herself, especially with hunting. You know that."

Arthur shut his eyes, then opened them and looked at Lilly. "Alright. But holler if you got trouble. Come straight back here as soon as you shoot somethin'."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "I don't know who is worse, you or Da."

Before Arthur could retort, Lilly passed some shrubs and disappeared into the trees. She studied the deer tracks and followed the trail quietly. Lilly had the stealth of a wild cat, so she'd been told. She always had a knack for it. Lilly was not one of short stature, but she adapted well all the same. Lilly's breath was visible as she exhaled. Her quarry was a ways off but she pursued the trail, going deeper through the tree line. Her feet silently crunched the snow beneath her. Her dark blue eyes darted every which way and Lilly's hearing was focused. The minutes dragged on before she finally spotted a buck off in the distance. It was eating some patches of grass.

Lilly let out a sharp breath as she walked through the snow, crouching as she drew her bow and grabbed an arrow. Lilly got to a decent length between her and the male deer and drew back her bow. She inhaled and exhaled slowly in a rhythm she had become accustomed to while hunting. Lilly aimed, waiting for the right moment. She whistled and the deer lifted its head. Lilly took her shot. The arrow sunk itself into the buck's head and the animal collapsed to the ground. Lilly gave out a little 'woo', put her bow around her, and jogged to the dead deer. As she closed in on the short distance, though, a loud roar sounded through the air. A grizzly bear came out from the trees behind the buck. Lilly stayed still. "God, not another bear," she whispered incredulously.

The bear's eyes locked onto the Irish hunter. Hot breath floated around its nuzzle before dissipating into the cold air. The animal clawed the snow, tipped its massive head to the side, and opened its mouth to let loose a frightening bellow. Lilly had to remain calm. If she ran, it would chase her. Lilly took a tremulous breath and peeked over her shoulder. The other tree line wasn't far off, but could she make it in time to climb a tree out of harm's way? As she directed her attention back to the giant animal, it gave one more roar and charged. Lilly bolted back to the opposite tree line. The creature was grunting as it chased her and the sound of massive paws stomping on the ground echoed in her ears. It was gaining on her. Lilly's heart was pounding as she urged herself to run faster.

Lilly raced to a tree and pulled herself up on a branch. She climbed higher and dared to look at the large animal. It was almost right on her. Lilly got up higher and her foot was just shy of getting slashed from the sharp bear claws. Her breath came fast and heavy as adrenaline pumped through her body. Her mouth tightened into an 'o' shape as she exhaled. The angry bear rose up on its hind legs and Lilly scrambled higher. The branches were not so strong she realized as she ascended up. Actually, it wasn't that strong of a tree. The bear seemed to understand that and began pushing the trunk. Lilly adjusted her feet on two branches. This was a very fucked situation. How the hell was she going to get out of this? The raging animal gave the tree another shove and Lilly heard a snap.

"Fuck! Arthur! Charles! Where are ya? Are ya fuckers deaf?!" she shouted angrily before giving the bear a taste of her fury. "Hey you!" The bear stopped its assault and looked up at her. "Yeah, I'm talkin' tah you, ya big dumb twat! Don't ya make me come down there because I'll skin ya alive!"

It tilted its head. Froth was around its lips and drool seeped down. Lilly shut her eyes. Yes. Skin a grizzly bear alive. That was going to work out just fine. A mighty roar fled from the bear's mouth and another great shove caused the tree to shake. Lilly almost lost her balance. The Irish lass' situation was wholly dire and she was left with only one option. Fight her way out of it. Another violent push and the trunk cracked and split. As the tree made its descent, Lilly leaped out. She landed on her feet, turned and drew out her knives. The bear ambled to her with a snarl. Lilly smiled defiantly as she adjusted into a defensive position. They stared each other down but Lilly swore the bear was being cautious.

Lilly chuckled with confidence. "Yeah, that's right, ya fuck. Ya want tah kill me? Then yer gonna hafta work fer it!"

The bear and Lilly mirrored each other by circling and eye contact between them never faltered. Lilly had a snowball's chance in Hell of surviving, she knew that. She was prepared for it, but as always, Lilly wasn't going to let her death come easy. The Irish hunter and the bear closed the gap. The first move was made by the bear with a swing of its claws and Lilly jumped back with a slash of a knife. Lilly jerked her head and smirked.

"Yer gonna hafta do better than that, boyo. Now come on! I ain't got all day, ya smelly bastard!" Lilly gave the taunt of the century for sure.

The bear swiped again but Lilly ducked and stabbed the back of its paw. Lilly yanked it out and the bear roared out in pain. Blood spattered the snow and it licked the wound. Lilly released a low chuckle for this small victory.

"That's right! I got claws too! Now come and get me, ya snivelin' milksop!"

The bear smashed its paw down and gave Lilly the bear equivalent of a dirty look, or that's how it looked to her anyway. And with that fearsome gaze, Lilly realized the bear was absolutely determined to eradicate her very existence as if that was its sole purpose in life, but it was at that moment when a long, almost melodic howl pierced the air and the two opponents' concentration broke. The animal and the woman took a gander in the direction of the sound. Lilly's whole face became animated with disbelief when she found the source of the disturbance.

"Fuckin' hell," she groaned.

Two gray wolves were running full speed at them and Lilly took a few steps back. Was she going to fight wolves to the death as well? As they got closer, Lilly came to the realization that those weren't just any wolves. They were the wolves from the cave. The giant bear roared and charged them and the wolves immediately attacked the bear. The bigger threat released a loud bellow when one wolf jumped on it and clamped its teeth into the fur and flesh of the bear's neck. The other leapt out of the bear's path and attacked its back leg. The three engaged in a battle armed with sharp teeth and claws. Lilly looked around for her bow and quiver. She had to help them.

She spotted her weapon and ammo poking out of the snow and slid to get them. Lilly armed herself and smiled in bloodthirsty delight. She inhaled, exhaled, and took her shot. The arrow embedded itself into the bear's shoulder. The wolves were kicking its ass, or she hoped they were. Lilly began her journey across the field of snow while arming her bow and shooting arrows one by one. Each shot punctured the bear's skin and it roared and bellowed its hatred for her. The wolves persevered with the onslaught. Blood streaked across the snow, but Lilly was unsure who it belonged to. Lilly's quiver was now empty. The bear was losing strength, but not fast enough. Lilly unsheathed her knifes again and smirked with a jerk of her head.

Lilly ran to close the distance between her and the wild predators and got a good look at what was transpiring. Snarls, barks, roars and growls emanated from the fight almost like a symphony. The wolves weren't the worse for wear, which shocked the hell out of her. The bear, on the other hand, was getting seriously fucked up. It would slash and swing its claws and the wolves always dodged it. Lilly sighed. The fur was going to be useless but the food would be more than enough for her starving group. Lilly saw an opportunity present itself to go in for the kill. She took a running jump and stabbed her knives into the bear's back. It roared out and tried to shake her off but Lilly hung on. Lilly kept stabbing the bear over and over but the massive creature would not go down.

"Yer a tough mother fucker, ain't ya!?" she yelled.

Lilly climbed higher with her knives as her body flailed back and forth from the sporadic motions of the weakening bear. Lilly found a good spot to settle and raised her knives up. She gave a shout of exertion and plunged the blades into the neck. Another pained bellow echoed through the air before the animal finally went down. Lilly's chest heaved almost violently as the bear took its last breath. The wolves, covered in blood and drool, came up to her sides. An exhausted laugh was drawn from her body as she looked at herself. Lilly was soaked with blood.

"Ha! Well, this'll be a bitch tah wash out!" The wolves nuzzled her arms and she patted them both. "Thank ya fer savin' me life, ya wee oddball chiselers." The wolves suddenly took off. "Hey! Where ya goin?" she shouted.

Lilly grunted as she gave her knives a good tug, then she raised herself from the corpse. Lilly examined herself again and laughed. How the fuck did she manage to get so much blood on her?

"Lilly!" Arthur barked. "What the hell happened?"

With a pivot at the waist, Lilly smiled as she spotted Arthur and Charles with the horses. They shot some deer, she noticed. "Told ya. I was goin' huntin'."


	5. The Train

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

As Arthur and Charles walked over to Lilly, they were in awe. Speechless awe. Lilly lifted her head back with a deep sigh and moved away from her kill. As she put her knives back, she got a good look at the monster she'd slain. Arrows, bites, stab wounds, and torn flesh were all over the grizzly giant.

"Huh," Lilly spoke casually. "Guess that explains all the blood on me."

Arthur blinked repeatedly with his jaw slacked. "You...you did this? By yourself?!"

"As ucht Dé, of course not! I'm a hunter, not an invincible barbarian!" Lilly giggled. "Ah, shit. You make me laugh, Arthur." A wheeze and another amused giggle flew from her mouth.

Charles knelt down and touched the fur. "Are these bite marks?"

"Uh huh. Those are wolf bites."

A look of astonishment came across Charles' face. "You...you _and_ wolves did this?"

"Yep. The ones from the cave. They uh...I guess they heard a damsel in distress " Lilly let out a sigh that was clearly one of self-appreciation. Yes, even though the wolves came to her aid, Lilly still got to claim the kill as her own.

A loud but short cackle came from Arthur. "Lilly, you're a lot of things, but a damsel in distress ain't one of 'em. Not by a long shot."

She flashed a smile of superiority at Arthur. "And you was the one thinkin' I shouldn't wander off alone. Bloody hell, I wish ya both coulda heard the shite talkin' I was goadin' him with," she laughed.

Arthur, with a shake of his head and an indrawn breath, stared down at the carcass. "Well, the pelt is bad but the meat should be good."

Lilly began tugging all the arrows out. "Ya can't have everythin', Arthur. Now, I did shoot a buck somewhere. I suppose I could carry that back."

Charles held his palm up. "I can do that, Lilly. I think you earned a few moments to slack off. Where is it?"

Lilly directed him past the trees and he headed out. As she got the last of the arrows out, Lilly sensed Arthur behind her. "Somethin' on your mind, Arthur?"

Lilly heard him chuckle. "Naw, just admirin' the scenery."

"It's just a bear."

"That ain't what I'm admirin'." Lilly jerked around. A twinkle of perversity was in Arthur's blue eyes. "What?" he huffed with a brief chortle.

She crossed her arms and gave him a smirk. "Were ya just starin' at me arse, Arthur Morgan?"

Arthur's expression of innocence was obviously artificial. "Now, Miss O'Callaghan. What kind of man would I be if I were to stare at," he sucked a sharp breath in and took hold of his belt. "your lovely round ass?" He finished the sentence with a simper.

Lilly closed the gap between them. "Oh, are we back to flirtin' now?" she asked with an arch in her tone.

Arthur chuckled. "Yes, I believe we are. But...you're covered in blood right now, so I'll wait until after you've had a bath to," he whispered in her ear, "show you how much I miss it."

Lilly inhaled deeply and caught his scent. He always smelled like pine trees. "You're such a bithiúnach, Morgan." _[_ _Reprobate._ _]_

"Ha, what's that?"

Lilly giggled and went back to skin the bear. "Where's the fun in tellin' ya what I'm sayin' in another language?"

"Then I guess I'll have to learn it."

Lilly almost broke into hysterics. "Yeah, you learnin' another language. Ya always said it ain't worth the trouble."

"Yours might be."

Lilly stopped cutting and looked over at him. She laughed again. "You're such a liar!"

Arthur strolled up to Lilly then knelt down beside her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Lillian, learnin' Irish would be worth the trouble."

Her lips parted and her dark blue eyes darted around as she studied his face. "Why?"

He grinned. "So I'll have you eatin' out of my hand. And I like hearin' you speak it. Makes me hot for ya," he purred.

Lilly raised a brow in disbelief. "Léirigh tú laige. Is cinnte go mbainfidh mé tairbhe as." _[_ _You showed weakness. I will definitely benefit from it._ _]_

Lilly noticed a flash of excitement in Arthur's eyes in that moment. He smirked. "Ooooh. Yes, I do like it even though I don't understand a lick of what you're sayin'."

Lilly put her lips to his ear. "Cúramach. Leanann tú ar aghaidh ag freagairt don Ghaeilge agus ithefaidh tú as mo lámh," she whispered seductively. _[_ _Careful. You continue to respond to the Irish language and you will eat out of my hand._ _]_

A shudder passed through Arthur and Lilly took note of it. Interesting. "Fanann tú go dtí níos déanaí. Beidh tú ag leá. Buafaidh mé. How's that for a lick?" _[_ _You wait until later. You will melt. I'll win._ _]_

"I got your buck, Lilly!" Charles walked up to them. Lilly pulled away and started cutting up the bear again. She heard Arthur cough and stand up. "You almost done?" Charles asked.

"No. Sorry, I uh...got distracted," Lilly smirked.

* * *

"Holy shit!" Dutch shouted. "Lilly! What the hell happened to you?"

"Killed a bear, Da," she replied casually as her horse strolled over to him. "Nasty fecker, too. Pushed a tree right over just to flush me out."

"You killed a bear? How?"

Lilly grinned at him. "With my smile, of course."

Dutch chuckled deeply. "That's my girl. Miss Grimshaw? My ruthless daughter requires a bath, if you'd be so kind to set one up!"

After the initial shock of seeing Lilly covered on blood, Susan arranged and scurried around to heat up a tub they found in one of the shacks. Arthur and Charles took care of the meat and pelts. It took what seemed like an eternity for Lilly to get all the blood off her face and out of her hair. By the time she was done the water was ice cold. Lilly shivered as she got out and she hurried to dry herself off. Unfortunately, Lilly did not have a spare winter coat. She'd have to make due with keeping her sleeves rolled down. Black button shirted, blue jeans, and black winter boots. Her hair she let hang down for now. As she opened the shack door she saw Arthur waiting for her.

"Lillian."

"Arthur. Need somethin'?"

He handed her one of his spare winter coats. It was dark brown with wool stitched into the collar and wrists. "Take a ride with me."

Lilly made a face of feigned innocence. "What for?"

He peered at her and upturned the corner of his mouth. "We need to talk and I'd prefer havin' privacy for this...particular conversation," he emphasized the last two words.

Lilly's mouth formed into a satisfied smirk. "Is that so?"

"Mmhmm."

Lilly put the coat on. "Well, in that case..." she passed by him with a wink. "Let's go."

They walked to their horses and they trotted off into the wilderness. He was real quiet, and it made her nervous from the anticipation. Excited, if what she thought was going to happen ended up being an accurate assumption. Arthur made no move to look at her. He only stared straight ahead, but Lilly saw a hint of a smile on his face. They went a few miles before Arthur said, "Let's turn off here," and he pointed to the left. They both hitched their horses to a tree, then they walked together at a leisurely pace. Somewhere along the way, they found themselves on a hill with a grouping of pine trees. Only pine cones and needles were scattered on the ground within the trees.

"So," a nonchalant tone was in her voice. "This 'particular conversation'...care to elaborate on it, Mr. Morgan?" She turned to face him with her hands behind her back and a grin. She walked backwards.

Arthur walked right in front of her and held her close while stroking her hair. Their eyes locked but Lilly was puzzled. His gaze was soft but he clearly wanted something. What was he doing? Was this another flirting tactic? Arthur pressed his lips to hers. Lilly froze. Oh. Ooooooh. Lilly wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss. It immediately went from kissing to snogging. Lilly grabbed Arthur's coat collar and forced him closer. The warmth of his body against hers made Lilly even hotter. Arthur pushed her against a tree and tightened his grip in her hair. Lilly whimpered into his mouth. She'd never felt anything like this for anyone except for Arthur, but now that she knew what it was...oh boy. She was going to take every moment to kiss him and touch him and...other things. The passionate kiss ended and their lungs sounded heavy and ragged.

A breathless laugh belted from her throat. "Well...that explains a lot "

Arthur gave her a fervent nod. "Uh huh," his voice was also breathless.

"Why didn't ya tell me?" When he didn't respond, she rolled her eyes. That wasn't important right now. "As ucht Dé, never fuckin' mind!" Lilly assaulted his mouth with a satisfied moan. "Just...don't stop," she whispered into his mouth.

Arthur went back to snogging. God, this was such a powerful feeling. The more they kissed, the farther she wanted to take it. God, she wanted him. All of him. Wasn't her virginity supposed to be important, though? Something she was obligated to guard until the right man came along?

"You have no idea how good I feel right now," he growled into her mouth. "I've wanted you for so god damn long!"

Yep. That's all she needed to know. If she was going to let anyone have her maidenhood, she could not think of a better candidate to give it to than Arthur Morgan. She unbuckled her pants.

He stopped her. "Lilly, what...but you're a virgin! I can't-"

"You can because it is mine to give away and I want you to take it."

Arthur looked conflicted with indecision, but then he smiled. "Really? Why?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "As ucht Dé, I ain't gettin' mushy about this! Just fuck me already before I change my-"

Arthur kissed her. "Don't you be tryin' that, woman! You want me to fuck you?" He scrambled with his belt buckle and his pants dropped. "Then I'm gonna fuck you!" He removed his blue winter coat and kissed her. Lilly slid off her boots, took off her jacket, and violently shook her pants off by kicking her feet. Arthur lifted Lilly up by her bottom, directed her legs to hold him, and glanced up at her. "It's gonna hurt at first, so don't panic."

Lilly nodded and kissed him again. When she felt him go in, she cried out and Arthur made a very loud groan followed by a deep and sexualized chuckle. "You're so god damn tight..."

It did hurt, but once he got going, ecstasy washed over Lilly's entire body. Her head arched back. "Holy god damn shit!"

Arthur chortled into her neck then a groan of pleasure slipped out of his mouth so he bit her neck. High pitched gasps were uncontrollably forced out of Lilly's mouth along with loud moans as Arthur plunged into her over and over. Hands gripped his hair and yanked his head back so she could kiss him again. Groans and grunts vibrated on her mouth. Lilly felt an abnormal amount of wetness inside herself and she wondered why, but then she guessed that was a natural reaction. Lilly wanted so much to be quiet but she couldn't restrain her voice. This was her first time and no one ever really explained how amazing it would feel. All the emotions and physical feelings made her feel an immense amount of surprise, but she could only express it vocally. Sweat beaded on their skin and their chests heaved. He gripped her buttocks so hard Lilly knew she'd have marks later, but she kind of liked it. It was like he was marking his territory. Lilly felt a small but pleasureable sensation build. It got stronger and stronger.

"Arthur!" A strong whimper escaped her throat and her legs squeezed his waist. "Somethin's happenin'! I... Íosa Críost, ohmygodohmygodohmygod!" she rasped. She didn't care how loud she was being or how bad her mouth was at talking. It felt _soooo_ _good_.

Arthur made a self-appreciative chuckle, but then he let out a deep moan and hastened the speed and increased the strength of his thrusts. The feeling got more intense. Lilly's legs instinctively pulled him in with each stroke and brief but powerful moans erupted from her throat in sync with his thrusts. Her body trembled from exertion and the overwhelming sensation and Lilly immediately felt what she could only describe as an explosion from her womanhood. A long, deep moan fled from Lilly's mouth as she lifted her face to the sky. The muscles of her vaginal walls pulsated around his shaft and Arthur moaned in the crook of her neck.

"Wha...what was that?!" she gasped.

"Lillian," he said in a deep and warbly voice. "You was comin', but I gotta, mmm, lay you down," Arthur's mouth let out a growl.

Lilly held on as he repositioned them on his coat. Once she was on her back, Arthur resumed with slow but deep strokes. He nestled his face into her neck and gently bit her throat.

"Arthur, this feels so good," Lilly whimpered out. "You feel so good."

"You..." Arthur nibbled on her earlobe. "You're so...Jesus Christ, Lillian," he let out an intense growl. "It's been killin' me not havin' you!" He pounded into her more forcefully as if to prove his point.

Lilly shared the sentiment and bit his shoulder. "Arthur!" The sensation she had before reemerged. "Fuck, I'm gonna come again!"

The thrusts became more forceful and quick. Arthur kissed Lilly then pushed himself up to a tilt to go faster as her pleasure continued the climb to its peak. Her hips bucked and her voice became incoherent babble. The explosion of ecstasy hit her once again and the muscles around Arthur's cock spasmed over and over. This caused Arthur to shudder.

"An-mhaith! Mar sin an-mhaith!" Lilly sputtered out in Gaeilge. _[_ _Very good! So very good_ _]_

Arthur resettled over her. "You keep talkin' like that and I'm gonna come too!" he growled into her ear.

Lilly pressed her lips just below his ear. "Ansin tá ceann agat," she whispered and moaned. _[_ _Then you have one._ _]_

He grabbed her clothed breast with one hand and the thrusts grew in intensity. His hand on her breast helped bring on another powerful climax and she screamed. "UUUUHHH! Déanann tú mo chine chroí! Déanann tú mo chaidéal fola! Harder!" Lilly moaned once more as her pussy clenched and relaxed around him _. [_ _You make my heart race! You make my blood pump!_ _]_

The volume of Arthur's groans grew as he hit inside her more deeply. "Come for me again!" he breathed. Lilly didn't think he could go faster or harder but Arthur shattered that doubt when he shoved so hard and fast Lilly thought her pelvic bones would break. Instead, Lilly came again.

"Mo chuisle! Is tú mo chuisle!" She whimpered and shouted. _[_ _My pulse! You are my pulse!_ _]_

Some sort of noise slipped out from Arthur's mouth Lilly never heard him make before. After plunging into her one more time, his thrusts stopped and he laid on her. Chests heaved and sweat stuck to them both. Lilly thought her heart was going to burst. "Oh my...fuckin'...God..." she whined.

Arthur raised his head and kissed her passionately. "You took...the words right outta...my mouth, Lilly."

"I wanna...do that...with you...again..." she whispered with a quavery breath.

Arthur laughed. "Now?!"

Lilly giggled and shook her head. "Not now, ya silly man. But...later. Again and again and again."

Arthur smiled and placed his lips on hers. Lilly groaned into his mouth when she felt his fingers rub her clitoris. "Would you like to come again, Lillian?" A vigorous nod was her only response. Arthur slipped two fingers in and began pushing and pulling them roughly. Lilly gasped loudly, spread her thighs wider, and brought her head back.

"Oh Arthur! Arthur!"

"Yes?" he purred into her ear. "Are you gonna come already?"

"Yes! I...mmmmm!" she shut her eyes and bit her lip. Her back arched as her climax started to peak. Lilly cried out as she came once more. "Oh God..."

* * *

Lilly and Arthur stopped just outside of Colter to kiss more before heading back in. He pushed her to a tree and held her face. "I'm such a god damn idiot," he growled when he kissed her neck. "We should've done this ages ago."

Lilly giggled and held him as his mouth assaulted her neck. "Yes, you are an eejit. But was I worth the wait?"

"Oh, you damn well know you were." He kissed her passionately and held her. "Mm, and if we didn't have this train robbery to do, I'd take you right now."

"Arthur, just shut up and kiss me." She yanked his head to hers and moaned. He pulled her close and they each took a breath in through their nostrils. After a few minutes, Lilly gently pushed him off. "We better go," she giggled happily.

"Oh no you don't!" Arthur grabbed her and kissed her deeply. "Just a bit longer..."

Lilly laughed into his mouth. "No, ya silly man! We gotta-"

Arthur began nibbling on her neck. "I ain't ready to let you go yet," he pleaded.

Lilly arched her head back. How fucking insatiable was he? "As ucht Dé, Arthur. Uuhhh," she moaned. "You're a damn bithiúnach!"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Lilly laughed and kissed him. "I ain't decided yet, mo chuisle. Now let's go!" she laughed with glee and yanked him to their horses. They got and headed back into the temporary camp.

"...wanna stick to the plan, which was to lie low, then head back out west. Now, suddenly, we're about to rob a train!" Hosea looked to the side and saw Arthur and Lilly on horses. "Hey there, kids!"

Dutch followed Hosea's line of sight. "Where the hell have you two been?" he snapped.

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other, then back at Dutch. "Huntin'," they both said.

Dutch squinted his eyes with suspicion. "Really? Where are your kills?"

Arthur was about to answer but Lilly spoke up first. "Well, it was moreso me tryin' to teach Arthur to use a bow properly and uh," she grinned at Arthur. "Help perfect his huntin' skills." Lilly snapped back to Dutch. "But he is just awful at it. I'll have to take him on as a student and give him lessons every day."

Arthur cleared his throat. "Hmm, yeah, I was horrible. Couldn't shoot a god damn thing."

"Really?" Charles asked curiously. "He took down a buck earlier."

Lilly eyeballed Charles. "Beginner's luck."

"That wasn't beginner's luck. Arthur, you tracked and shot it clean!"

Arthur glared at him. "I was horrible this time. And Lilly and I needed to have a chat," he said the last word through his teeth.

Laughter threatened to overcome Lilly but she held it back successfully. Charles raised his brow and lifted his head. "I see. Huh. How did that go?" he smirked.

Arthur cocked his head slightly to one side and glared at him again. "Char-"

"We don't got time for this, let's go!" Dutch shouted. "Now, it is time to make somethin' of ourselves! Get your horses ready! We have a train to rob!"

Lilly smirked at Charles. "You heard the man. Let's go rob a train! Hyah!" Her horse galloped after the rest of the men.

* * *

"Here's the water tower. Hold up here on the ridge," Dutch said as they all trotted in together. Lilly, Arthur, Lenny, Javier, Charles, and Micah. "Is Bill there?"

"Yeah," Arthur said. Lilly squinted her eyes to see Bill setting up the charges.

"You wanna head down? See how he's gettin' on?"

"Okay."

Arthur turned his horse around and ambled it on the trail that lead down into the valley. As he was about to pass Lilly, she turned her head to him. He flashed his teeth at her, then made a small grunt that clearly implied something sexual. Lilly snapped her head around the other way to look at him with a pleased smile as he passed. He winked at her before facing forward and galloping down the incline. Lilly blushed and looked over the valley with a bite to her lip and a shy chuckle. Charles nudged her and she jerked her head to the side.

"What?" she asked innocently with a pronounced crease in her forehead.

Charles gave her a smug grin. "So...did you two, uh, have a good chat?"

Her eyes were full of uncertainty. "Yes."

"About?" he pried with a smirk.

With tightened lips, she inclined her head to one side. "About our estrangement. Light was shed on some issues. We made progress."

"Ha!" Charles barked. "I bet you did!" a gleeful chuckle escaped him.

All the color drained from her face. She was horrified. "Would you shut up?" she hissed through closed teeth.

"Lilly?" Dutch called to her. "A word, please?"

Nervousness creeped into every bone of her body. She glared at Charles with a scolding implication before going over to Dutch. "Yes Da?"

He beamed at her. "What was that about?"

"Nothin'. Charles was only bein' an arse."

Dutch chuckled deeply. "Not that. About your chat with Arthur?"

Lilly scowled. Everyone else was smirking at her. Oh, what the fuck! Did someone see Arthur and her having sex? She was going to feign ignorance. "Why are ya lookin' at me like that?! Why are ya fucks so interested in what was said between Arthur and me?! It ain't yer god damn business!"

"Jesus Christ, Lillian, it's been killin' me not havin' you!" Javier mocked in a deeper voice. Lilly's eyes went wide and all the blood drained from her face. All of them went into hysterics.

"Arthur, this feels so good," Micah mocked in a voice that was an octave higher than his own. "You feel so good!"

Lilly didn't dare to look at her Da, but she heard him laughing. Lilly was mad but also extremely embarassed.

"What the hell is goin' on?!" Arthur shouted.

They all looked at Arthur with supressed giggles but Lilly was the only one who was not amused. The men couldn't restrain themselves.

"You keep talkin' like that then I'm gonna come too!" Javier belted out and more hysterical cackles echoed.

Lilly bowed her head and covered her face. This was so god damn humiliating, especially with her father here. Her first time was now tainted by perverted and prying eyes. It wasn't funny.

"Oh, macushla! Macushla!" Micah belted out.

That was it. "SHUT UP, THE LOT OF YA!" Lilly demanded with a shout, an order each man thought best to obey. "I don't know which one of ya incorrigible pieces of shite was spyin' on me and Arthur like a prepubescent school boy, but if I can take down a feckin' grizzly bear, how about ya think on what I'll do tah the rest of yas?" Most of the men went quiet except for Dutch and Arthur. Dutch merely chuckled with pride. Arthur, however, strolled over and smiled at her before bringing his attention to everyone else.

"Hmm." Arthur took out a cigarette and lit it. After inhaling the smoke, a chortle of sorts paired up as he emitted a breath. "We got a train to watch for, but disrespect my woman again and you'll wish you got hit by it before she's done fuckin' you up...if I don't get to you first."

Giggling with satisfaction, Lilly moved her horse to stand next to Arthur's horse. "Your woman, huh?" she whispered.

"Mmhmm," Arthur took another puff. "Pretty sure you're gonna be my last one, too."

Lilly quirked a brow. "Why?"

Arthur handed her the cigarette and she sucked in the smoke. "Heh heh, ain't nobody else gonna come close to you."

Lilly handed Arthur the tobacco and looked away with a blush, an overjoyed smile and a nibble of her lip. "That's quite the compliment, Arthur," she said as she eyed him with a suggestively arched brow. "Remind me to thank you later." A quiet and breathful giggle slipped from Arthur's mouth along with cigarette smoke.

"Okay, cover your faces. Train should be here any minute now,' said Dutch. They all lifted their bandanas and it wasn't long after that they heard the metal wheels and the chugging of a train closeby. "Gentlemen, Lilly, it's time. Good luck, all of you. You know what to do."

The train appeared around the bend and Lilly watched Bill get ready to blow the charge he set up. As the train went by, he pushed down on the detonator. And...nothing happened. He kept pushing it and Lilly sighed. "Ugh, that's great."

Dutch puffed out a flustered groan and put a hand to his face. "Oh, you have got to be kiddin' me!"


	6. Etiquette

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

"Where did you find that moron?" Arthur snarled. They all removed their bandanas as the train kept rolling on. Lilly turned her horse around and galloped back through the trail.

"Do I hafta do everythin'? Get on the god damn train, ya eejits!" Lilly's voice boomed. "Come on boy, hyah!" Lilly got to the other end of the tunnel quickly and stopped her horse at the edge. She slid off just as the train emerged with her bow and arrows and she immediately jumped off the ledge. She landed with a roll on the first covered car and giggled. _"Yeah, I still got it,"_ she thought to herself as she put her black bandana over her mouth.

Lilly kept low to the top and crawled towards the back of the car, then she saw Javier, Arthur, and Lenny jump onto the back of the train. Slow pokes. Javier fell off and Lenny was hanging on the side, but Arthur was fine, of course. As Arthur helped Lenny up, Lilly jumped down and hid to the side. She looked in and saw two guards. As she loaded two arrows into her bow, gunshots went off in the distance, so Lilly aimed and let loose each arrow one at a time. The guards were killed instantly. Lilly shut her eyes and huffed in frustration.

"God damn cowboys, just hafta shoot feckin' everybody and cause a feckin' ruckus!" she shouted.

As she tiptoed through the train's interior, she saw two more men jogging to the back of the train. Loading two more arrows, she struck them both one at a time. A third popped out from behind some boxes and tried to hit her but Lilly dropped her weapon and knocked his fist away. Before the man could register the move, Lilly chopped him in the throat. As he went down, she took out her gun and shot him in the head. A growl of defeat rumbled from her throat.

"So much for stealth."

With a heavy sigh, the Irish woman grabbed her bow and ambled to the front. The boys could take care of the other guards Lilly had a train to stop. When she got to the section with black barrels, Lilly already loaded more arrows and hit more men. As she got to the engine car she groaned while walking.

"This shite is too easy, of all the-"

Something metal smacked her right in the face and she went down. Ow. Lilly looked up and saw the engineer hovering over her. He looked horrified. Lilly cackled in amusement. "Ah shite, I jinxed meself!"

"Oh God, I-I'm sorry, miss!" he stammered. "I didn't know you were a lady!"

Lilly cackled again and got up. None of the guards got her but the chivalrous little conductor damn near killed her. "Ya got spunk in ya, sir. Real spunk." Lilly noticed her hat was gone so she looked around for it.

"Miss, I must apologize! I was raised never to strike the fairer sex!"

Lilly laughed at him. This was so god damn funny. She found the hat and put it back on. "Oh, yer fine, sir. Just...if ya want me forgiveness then stop the train," she snickered.

"What? I can't do that."

Lilly sighed and put an arm around his shoulder. She pulled out her knife and held it to his throat. His face went ghostly white. "I like ya, sir. I just killed a whole bunch of those arses and not a single one of 'em managed tah hit me. But you did and ya ain't even a guard, so if ya don't want me tah feel bad fer slicin' yer throat open...stop the train and run away. Okay?"

He nodded with a gulp. "Yes ma'am."

"Good boy." She patted his chest and sheathed her knife. "Off ya go, sir. And ya better run fast because me associates ain't as forgivin' as me."

The conductor went to the engine, Lilly followed, and the man pulled the brake lever. The train began screeching to a halt. Lilly took a big breath and watched the gentleman race away from the train. Lilly pulled her bandana down and held her face. "As ucht Dé, that feckin' hurt like the Devil!"

"What hurt?"

Lilly turned around and saw Arthur. "I got hit in the face with a shovel," she grinned.

Arthur narrowed the distance between him and checked her face. "You okay?"

"Oh please. If I wasn't okay, I'd be dead or knocked out."

Arthur smiled. "Good." He pressed her into the engine and kissed her passionately. Lilly grasped the back of his head with one hand while the other clung to the collar of his jacket. Arthur tilted his head and breathed through his nose. "After this, we're gonna find out who spied and told on us."

With an enthusiastic giggle, Lilly nibbled his ear lobe. "Does it have to be right after? Because I still need to thank you."

Arthur made a low chuckle. "Jesus Christ, woman. You didn't get enough earlier?" he asked while planting kisses on her neck.

"No," she teased.

Arthur looked into her blue eyes with his own and flashed his white teeth. "Why's that?"

Lilly pecked him softly. "I won't never get enough of ya, Arthur Morgan."

Arthur chortled with glee. "Yeah, don't wanna keep my hands off you either, darlin'." He gave her another deep kiss. "Makin' you scream like that was so-"

The sound of gunfire struck their ears and they looked towards the direction it came from. "We better go deal with that." Arthur shook his head, nibbled her neck and stroked her mound. She gasped. "Arthur!"

"Just gimme a minute, Lilly. I bet I'll get you to finish under a minute. You did so god damn fast before," he growled as he put his hand in her pants and touched her. "Just a quick one, I promise."

Lilly couldn't believe him. "You are a fuckin' animal, Arthur!" she laughed while biting her lip. "A real...oh...you...bithiúnach." She could feel him playing with her and she moaned loudly.

"Heh heh heh, so wet already," he whispered lustfully into her ear. "You know what I'm doin' later?"

Lilly began breathing faster. "No. What?" Lilly spotted a guard coming up. She grabbed her revolver and shot him. "Dammit, Arthur, we gotta-"

"You keep shootin' if any more fellas show up." He wiggled his fingers more quickly and slid them into her. "As I was sayin' I'm gonna eat a pot full of honey."

That really confused her and she giggled awkwardky. "A...a what?" Lilly opened her legs more and started bucking herself into his hand. "Why a honey pot?" Another guard came running and Lilly growled in frustration. "Fuckin' hell!" She shot the guard clean in the head.

Arthur looked over his shoulder. "Not bad," he laughed. "Anyway, it's the honey, of course. I got a sweet tooth," he purred and kissed her neck.

Lilly moaned out again. Two more men came running up the train and Lilly groaned. "Son of a bitch!" She aimed and shot them both down. "Arthur we need...oooh," her voice trembled as she felt her climax approaching. "Fuuuuck, Arthur," she whimpered.

"And this honey pot, I believe," he rubbed harder and chuckled. "Will keep fillin' up after I eat it."

Lilly's pussy went into spasms and she cried out. "Cad é an ifreann, Arthur!" _[What the hell, Arthur!]_

Arthur chortled with satisfaction, pulled his hand out, and gave his fingertips a taste. "Mmm. Now that's some real good honey." Lilly's jaw dropped and she put a palm on her mouth. Oh, that man was just terrible. Absolutely terrible. Lilly spotted another guard and killed him with her gun. Arthur kissed her cheek with a laugh and jumped off the train backwards while still licking his fingers. "I think it was more than a minute, but it was worth it! Now come on, we got Cornwall men to kill!" He went running towards the gun fight and put his bandana back on.

Lilly took a few deep breaths and laughed. "That man is gonna be the death of me." One more guard came into view and she rolled her eyes. "As ucht Dé!" Lilly shot him too.

* * *

"Where the hell have you been, Arthur?!" Lenny shouted. "I'm gettin' my ass handed to me!"

Arthur pulled out his repeater and started shooting at people. "Sorry, Lenny. I found a honey pot and I needed it."

"A honey pot?! Up there?"

Arthur and Lenny kept shooting from behind a boulder. "Yes. I simply...could not help myself," Arthur said with a smile and a sigh. He still felt like a dirty old man but after this morning, he decided to be absolved of it and he was going to enjoy it. Arthur ducked down and reloaded his gun. "It was too temptin'." Arthur cackled.

Lenny crouched to put more bullets in the chamber. "Wait, where's Lilly?"

Arthur threw back his head and laughed. "God, what a woman! I'm sorry, Lenny! I just...I couldn't help myself!"

"What in the hell are you-" Lenny's eyes went wide. "Oh, you didn't!"

Arthur looked at Lenny with the devil in his smile. "Don't say nothin' to her or the others, please. She'll kill me!" he cackled hysterically.

"But I saw guards runnin' back there!" Lenny peeked over the boulder and fired his gun at a man. He ducked back down. "You didn't see 'em?"

"Yep, we both did," he groaned happily. "Well, I didn't. I was preoccupied but she took care of 'em," Arthur spoke casually and took another shot. It hit home into a man's skull, then he crouched again.

Disbelief was plastered to Lenny's face. "She what?!"

Arthur popped up and shot three more guys before going back into cover. "It's like I said, Lenny," Arthur smirked at him happily and jerked his head. "What a woman."

Lenny took two more shots, went down, then laughed and pointed at the train. "Speak of the Devil."

Arthur looked over at the train and smiled. "There she is." He watched as Lilly ambled with confidence along the car roof. She had her bandana back on. Her repeater was out and bullets were flying. A guy was climbing up at the end but Lilly kicked him hard in the face with the toe of her boot. When he fell, his head hit the other car and blood spattered. Arthur cringed and an involuntary robust cackle came out of him. "Jesus Christ!" This woman was making him laugh like a god damn idiot, but, well, he no longer cared about that either.

* * *

Lilly stared down at the fallen guard and made a sigh full of satisfaction. With a casual leap over to the next car, Lilly returned fire at any man trying to shoot her. She saw her Da and the rest of the boys in the distance and grinned. The cavalry was coming in. How delightful. Lilly shot another man and ran towards the last car. That's where most of Cornwall's men were coming from. An angry man came up from the other end with a knife. Lilly tilted her head to the side and a cheerful laugh escaped her lips.

"Seriously?" she asked.

"Come on, girlie!" the man shouted. "Let's see what you got!"

Lilly sighed and held up a finger. "Alright, hang on a second." She looked back for Arthur. "Mo chuisle! _" [My pulse!]_ she yelled out.

Arthur shot more men as he came walking up. "Yes darlin'?"

"Would ya be a dear and put me weapons somewhere?" She held up her repeater and bow. "I been challenged to a knife fight and I dunna wanna get hindered."

Arthur looked at the guy, then at her, and cracked up. "Are you shittin' me?" Arthur smiled up at her and held out his arms. She tossed her repeater then her bow. He caught them both, but then looked over at the man and his expression dropped. "LILLEH!"

She unholstered her revolver and shot the man without looking. "Sit down..." She turned her head and while he had dropped his gun, Lilly only got him in the arm. "Huh. I missed." Well, that was a little chagrinning. She pulled the trigger again and a bullet went straight into his forehead. A groan of annoyance came out of her throat. "Such a shame." She holstered, scrunched her eyes and pouted at Arthur. "I was really lookin' forward to a close quarter match."

He gave her a chastising but lighthearted gaze. "You precarious little shit."

Lilly laughed and climbed down the ladder, then skipped to Arthur and kissed him. "Don't get yourself worked up, mo bithiúnach. _[My reprobate.]_ It was very precarious, but it was worth it." The woman gave him a smug smile while grabbing her weapons, walked backwards to the last car and gave him a 'come hither' motion with her finger. "Now come on! We got a train to rob!"

Lilly giggled to herself from his expression full of languish and pivoted on her heels to walk forward. Yep, she could be terrible too. Absolutely terrible. Lilly waved to her Da as she reached him.

"You three alright?" Dutch inquired.

"Of course," Lilly replied

"Let's get the money and go," Arthur said.

"We got some fellas holed up in this last car," Dutch explained as they all got near the train.

"Ah, shit."

"What are you boys plannin' on doin' in there? Listen to me. We don't want to kill any of ya..." Dutch shouted and paced along. "Any more of ya," he chuckled. "I give you my word, but trust me, we will!"

"I work for Leviticus Cornwall!" someone shouted inside.

"Come on, boys!"

"We got our orders!"

"Okay! You-"

Lilly put her hand on Dutch's arm. "Da, I'm pretty sure I can coax 'em out. Just give me...hmm, five minutes?"

Dutch squinted his eyes at her. "You got three."

"Thanks, Da!" Lilly patted his arm and approached the train. She clasped her hands behind her back and made a hem in her throat. "Hello, gentlemen! How are you on this fine day? Are you nice and comfy?"

"...What?" the same man from before yelled.

Lilly sighed and began to pace back and forth. "I was tryin' to exchange pleasantries but I got three minutes to explain your situation, so let's get down to business. Open the door or we force you out. The means of force we'll use if you don't will be, heh heh heh, quite loud and unpleasant." Lilly kept her voice raised to be heard through the thick metal door, yet her tone was anything but hostile.

"But we got orders!"

"Well, shit, I do admire your tenacious loyalty to Mr. Cornwall but do you think a rich man like that would have the same level of devotion to any of his employees?"

"No! That's why we can't let you in! He'll be furious!"

"I sympathize with your plight, gentlemen, but who would you rather deal with? The devil ya know or the devil ya don't?"

"Ha! You're no devil! You're just a girl and we're not coming out!"

"Ah shit, here we go..." Arthur laughed quietly behind her.

Ooooh. Now they were going to get it. "Is it safe fer me tah assume ya done witnessed yer employer's temper?"

"...Yes," one of the guards said.

"Well, I'm gonna give ya testament tah the temper of an Irish lass, and then yer gonna tell me if mine measures up..." Lilly stopped pacing and faced the train. "OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR OR I'LL COME IN THERE, SLICE YER BELLIES OPEN AND USE YER INSIDES TAH HANG YA OFF A FECKIN' MOUNTAIN!"

Lilly heard a click and the door opened. The men looked deathly white as they came off the train. Lilly was about to reach for her gun but the fear on the guards' faces changed her mind, so she escorted them over to a spot on the ground.

"SIT!" her voice boomed the demand. The men almost fell as if they needed to sit down faster. Lilly chuckled and sighed with a soft twitch of her head. She bent at the waist in front of them, held her arms behind her back, and grinned. "Now do I measure up to yer employer's tempermental disposition?"

"Yes," they all said with trembling voices and almost at the same.

"Good." Lilly straightened and glanced over her shoulder at Dutch with a picture perfect smile of innocence. "How many minutes was that?"

Dutch and the rest broke out into hysterics.

* * *

_It was cold in the small town of Blackwater that morning. A 7-year-old girl with dark blue eyes, auburn hair in a ponytail, and a freckled face had on little more than a pair of pants that were too short and an old gray jacket that was too big. She was barefoot which was something she always preferred. The girl ran down the street with a silver pocket watch in her hand. Two men were chasing her down and yelling at her to stop. Lilly gracefully made her way through the morning crowd and into the local tavern._ _"Ya ain't gettin' this back, ya twats!" she shouted in a thick Irish accent._

_She jumped up on the bar and over, landed on the floor, and ran through the door leading to the cooking area. The men chasing her weren't far behind. Lilly continued on and pushed the door to the back open. She was outside once again. She looked back behind her only to crash into someone. It was a man in a black suit, with dark hair and bright eyes._ _Crap._

_"Beg yer pardon, sir!" she yelled before_ _banking left._

_The lass shoved the watch into her jacket pocket. Those bastards were not going to take this from her again and she certainly wasn't going to allow them But now that she retrieved it, what was she going to do? She could kill them. She was more than capable of it, but not in Blackwater. No, it would be best if done back in the dark alleys of Saint Denis where her stealth was a huge advantage. First and foremost on her agenda was escaping the Hilltop Brothers' pursuit._ _The 7-year-old girl raced across the street._

_Unfortunately as she did, a two horse carriage came barreling toward her. Ah shit. As it got near she felt herself get picked up and carried away from the street. The carriage passed her and whoever was cradling her. Luckily it was not one of the men chasing her, but she glanced up at her savior for only a moment. It was a young man who smelled like pine trees with light blue eyes, brown hair, and a five o'clock shadow._ _And even though she was only seven, the allure of his face was something even she wasn't immune to. Ha, he was_ _a true wetser._

_"You okay kid?" he asked_ _with a smile and a deep western voice._

_She looked around and saw the Hilltop Brothers running towards them. Suddenly she scrambled out of the man's arms and raced across the street...again...towards the theatre that was being built. The child burst through the doors and ran towards the stage almost in a panic. There was wooden mesh surrounding the stage but one area of it was open. It was just big enough for a child to go through. She slid through it and crawled under the stage to the farthest edge she could manage. Holding her knees to her chest was a habitual form of comfort, so she did that and covered her mouth. She had to keep quiet, and she hoped the Brothers would not find her under here._

_The child heard the doors open. She was too far back to know who it was that came in, but she heard one of them speak._

_"Arthur, you're sure she ran in here?" a man asked. Huh. Not the Hilltop Boys, then._

_"Yeah. Poor kid was frightened out of her skull." she heard another say. It was the man who saved her. Crap._

_"Did those men say anythin'? Why they were chasin' her?" a third man asked. "...before you beat the shit out of 'em?"_

_"Ha! Somethin' about her stealin' some watch and takin' her home to her father," her rescuer said. "But-"_

_"I did NOT steal it!" she shouted. "Those bastards stole it from me! I took it back! And I ain't goin' back to that mother fuckin' place!" she snapped loudly. Shit. The girl covered her mouth._

_She heard man number one laugh. "Good for you, kid. Oh, you uh, you almost knocked me over outside the saloon."_

_Oh. It was that guy. "...I beg yer pardon, but I was in a wee bit of a feckin' rush!" she yelled angrily._

_She saw her rescuer in a summer gunslinger outfit crouch down in front of the hole. "Hey there, kid. You okay? They didn't hurt you or anythin'?"_

_"...I'm fine, thank ya very much."_

_"Good to hear it," he smiled. He sat down Indian style. "So, uh, we weren't introduced. I'm Arthur Morgan."_

_"...me name is Lilly."_

_"Ah, like the flower! That's so-"_

_Lilly charged through the darkness and burst out of the hole. As the red headed child knocked Arthur over, she balanced herself over him with a knife to his throat. Lilly glared at him with the intensity of a volcanic eruption._

_"Do NOT say that again!" a snarl sounded through her teeth._

_Arthur held up his hands in submission, but he looked highly amused. "Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, Miss Lilly."_

_Lilly knew he didn't mean anything by it except to express sweetness about her name. However, being adorable was no longer a personality trait she possessed. Still..._

_"I know," she whispered and removed the blade from his throat. "I won't kill ya fer it, neither." She tilted her head to the side and gave the faintest hint of a smirk. "It'd be a shame tah kill ya, Mr. Morgan. After all," she stood over him. "Yer such a fear álainn."_ _[beautiful man.]_

_Arthur looked bemused. "A what?"_

_"Uh, I believe she said somethin' about you bein' a man," man number three interjected._

_Lilly shifted her attention to him. He was blonde and had a kind face. "Ya speak Gaeilge, sir?"_

_He laughed modestly. "Not really, but I do recognize the language and I know what 'fear' means."_

_"Huh. Well," she sheathed her knife and held out her hand to Arthur. "Do ya need help gettin' up then, fear álainn?"_ _[beautiful man?]_

_Arthur chuckled and took her hand. Lilly knew he didn't require it, but it was the polite thing to do. He did save her. Twice. "Thank you, Miss Lilly."_

_"It seems I owe you a...no, two debts, Mr. Morgan. I should be thankin' ya instead. But uh, ya didn't kill them bastards, did ya?"_

_"No."_

_"Ah, good."_

_His eyes were full of inquisitiveness. "Why is that a good thing?"_

_Lilly reached into her side pouch and pulled out an apple. She chomped into it. "Because I'm gonna kill 'em," she said casually as she chewed._

_Arthur spied the apple and looked in his satchel. "Hey! That's my apple!"_

_Lilly shrugged. "Really? I don't see yer name on it...unless I ate that part already. Sorry." She held it out to Arthur. "Do ya want it back?"_

_"No thank you," he sighed bitterly. He gave her a dirty look._

_"Now now, Mr. Morgan, don't be gettin' yer knickers in a twist," she eyeballed him. "Yer a criminal too, ain't ya?"_

_"What makes you think that?"_

_"Fer starters? Ya was more concerned about me stealin' yer apple than me talkin' about killin' two full grown men." Lilly reached into her pouch and pulled out two wallets. "Hmm. I got these mixed up. I know one of 'ems yers. The other belongs tah Mr. Fancy Pants over there."_

_Lilly watched the dark haired man dig through his pockets, and when he found nothing, he started laughing. "Ha! Son of a bitch!"_

_Lilly took another bite. "I'm returnin' them tah ya both. Now my two debts are paid."_

_Arthur crossed his arms as his eyes expressed disbelief. "What about my apple?"_

_Lilly took in a deep breath. "Oh fine," she grumbled. She pulled a gold pocketwatch from her pouch. "This yers, too?"_

_Arthur snatched it and stared at it. "What the hell?"_

_Lilly patted his shoulder and walked through the aisle towards the front doors. "Much obliged, gentlemen. Have yerselves a good day."_

_"Wait a minute! Where you goin'?" Arthur barked out._

_"I got two full grown men tah murder," Lilly huffed out and pushed the doors open._


	7. A Long Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for sexual content.

It was getting dark now and Lilly was keeping an eye on the hostages while waiting for some of the Van der Linde gang to finish looting the train. The men were still terrified of her and any time she got too close to their liking, Lilly could almost hear their arses clench up. While the Irish girl was amused by this, she was also annoyed. Pacing back and forth near them proved to make her irritation worse so she eyeballed them.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me for a moment, please," she went to wall off but stopped, "and don't go wanderin' off," she added.

When she got to Dutch, Lilly stood next to him with her arms crossed. She was still madder than hell but the ferocity in her rage had dulled to glowing embers. Her Da seemed to notice the tension. "Somethin' on your mind, Lilly?" he asked.

"I don't suppose you'd know who the disgustin' twat is that spied and snitched on Arthur and me?" Lilly's inquiry had a distinct touch of restrained anger.

A mixture of chortling and a giggling was his response. "No, but if I had to guess, it was either Micah or Javier. Or both," he whispered with caution in his voice. "I would like to mention I will not condone your decision to kill 'em, but I will happily watch as you beat them to a bloody pulp."

Lilly stared at him. "You was laughin' about it too!"

Dutch nodded shamefully. "Yes I did. But then you said somethin' to Arthur that made me think this relationship was very new. So..." he looked at her. Only the top part of his face was uncovered. "It was your first time, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I'm kinda surprised you ain't mad, Da."

"Ha! I'd be mad if you were just a delicate little girl, but you are not. You killed a _grizzly bear_ this morning with only arrows and knives. Oh, and wolves."

Lilly laughed and stared at the train. "Yes I did."

"Heh. And frankly," Dutch looked back at the train. "I'm surprised you two took so long"

Lilly's head snapped to the side and she gaped at Da. "What? Was he that obvious?"

"You both were."

"Me? How was I-"

"Ha! All that flirtin' you did with him. All fun and games, but I knew better. I'm not sure how you didn't, though."

Lilly bowed her head. "I didn't know what I was feelin' until this mornin'."

Dutch laughed and nudged her. "Oh, you had to know somethin'!"

"I didn't, Da. Or perhaps I didn't wanna know."

"What do you mean?"

Lilly shut her eyes then glanced at Dutch with a serious look in her dark blue eyes. "No one will ever have all of me. Some things are meant to stay locked up; dead and buried. My reasons for not knowin'...whatever this is, are no exception."

"...I respect that, but do you think Arthur will?"

Lilly scoffed. "If he doesn't, he's free to leave any time he chooses."

"Dutch!" Arthur shouted as he got off the train.

Dutch left Lilly's side and approached Arthur. "What did you find?"

"These." Arthur gave some papers to Dutch. "Bonds. They worth anythin'?"

"Oh, sure!" Dutch exclaimed as he examined the bonds. "Bearer bonds. I think we can probably sell these pretty easily. Well done." Dutch motioned to the train. "Now would you get rid of all this?"

"The train?"

"Yeah, get it outta here."

Lilly went to take a look inside the private box car. It was luxurious. As she climbed in, she caught the faint smell of cigars, expensive cologne, and brandy. God, why did every 'man cave' have to smell like that? It made her wonder what the inside of her tent smelled like. This place, though, it reminded her of the study rooms in two of her childhood homes. The one in Ireland with her family, and the other...well, that was not somethin' she wanted to think about.

"Darlin', I gotta get the train movin'." Arthur said.

She looked at him and sighed. "That's too bad. I kinda like this box car. Makes me, uh..." she ahemed with a suggestive twinkle in her eyes.

Arthur squinted his eyes at her and chuckled. "Give me a few minutes, okay?"

"Alright." Lilly watched him leave and took of her bandana, then she started taking on the whole interior. Lots of books. Ooooo. She hurried over to the book shelves and began browsing. Books about strategy, tactics, history, folklore...Mr. Cornwall had good taste with books, she gave him that. She went to the other book shelf. Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Crane, Jane Austen...what? Harriet Stowe, Emily Dickinson, Margaret Fuller, Christina Rossetti, Loiusa May Alcott... wow. He liked female authors. "Huh. I'll be damned."

Lilly heard the train move but the car she was in was immobile. What the hell? She walked to the door and peeked out. Arthur was walking to her. He had his bandana off and was holding his hat. He gave her a wave and got into the box car as she backed up. Arthur shut the door, locked it, and stared at her with a sultry look in his eyes. "Now we can have real privacy."

Lilly giggled and they both lowered the curtains on all the slitted windows. As she covered the last one, Lilly watched Arthur toss his hat and remove his gloves and coat with a smirk. Lilly did the same. "So...where did you wanna-"

Arthur closed the gap between them and gave her a vehement kiss. Oh, okay then. Lilly held his face and kissed him just as passionately, and Arthur pulled her with him to the intricately patterned couch. He sat down and Lilly straddled him. They continued their intense snogging while undressing each other but when Lilly got his shirt open she stopped to look at his chest. While they had seen each other naked before...kinda, having him close this way made her breath catch in her throat.

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked calmly.

She grinned as she touched the hair on his chest. "No. Just admirin' the scenery," Lilly said with a sigh.

Arthur laughed and took off his shirt, then threw it in a random direction. He unbuttoned Lilly's shirt and groaned in appreciation as her breasts were revealed behind the cloth. He chuckled and put a nipple into his mouth. Lilly huffed out a breathful high pitched squeak and he laughed. "What the hell was that?"

Lilly giggled in a silly way and shook her head. "I don't know."

Arthur laughed again. "God, Lilly, I..." he put his forehead to her chest and took a deep breath.

Lilly kissed the back of his head. "I what, mo chuisle?" _[my pulse?]_

"This is goin' to sound effeminate, but..." he lifted his head and showed her a smile of joy. "...I feel like the luckiest man alive right now."

Lilly's heart melted and she gazed down at him tenderly. "Oh, Arthur...that's...I don't even know what to say."

He arched a brow curiously. "Really?" He held her closer and kissed her collarbone. "Well, what will happen if I say more things like that?"

"I dunno. Got any more things like that to say?"

"Hmm." Arthur kissed her neck. "I'll keep a few of 'em in for now."

Lilly's eyes widened. Oh. Huh. Lilly sighed and looked down at him while stroking his hair. "Alright, ya silly man," she grinned.

Arthur smiled happily then pulled her head down and gave her a kiss filled with love and passion. Lilly moaned against his mouth and giggled when he grabbed her rump with both hands. Lilly fiddled with his buckle and he did so with hers. They adjusted themselves to remove their boots and pants then Lilly straddled him again and Arthur's cock slide inside. Jesus Christ, he felt amazing. Arthur held her bottom again to help guide her as she lifted and lowered herself. Her hips went back and forth in the process and Arthur groaned as he suckled her tit.

"Yeah, just like that," he growled. "Just...ah, yeah."

He grasped her hips and pulled her up and down faster and she moaned every time she slammed onto him. Eventually, though, Arthur stood up and Lilly held onto the back of his neck as he began looking around.

"Arthur, what are you doin'?"

"I loved what you were doin', but it's makin' me, mmm," he walked to the desk, swiped everything off with an arm, and set her butt on it. "I need to fuck you."

After placing her legs over his shoulders and pushing Lilly on her back, Arthur yanked her lower half to him, grabbed her waist, and began pounding into her furiously. Lilly's mouth opened wide and she began yelling from the intensity of pleasure. "Arthur, fuuuuUUUUUUCK!

"Mmhmm, sit up so I can see you," he growled. Lilly rested on her elbows and they made eye contact. Arthur went faster and deeper and Lilly's eyes rolled back into her head. She heard Arthur chuckle. "That good, huh?"

"Yes!" Lilly gasped, then she screamed out when she felt Arthur massaging her nub. "OH MO CHUISLE! Táim chomh gar!" _[OH MY PULSE! I'm so close!]_

This was the best feeling Lilly ever had. She looked at him again and bit her lip hard. Arthur was sweating and breathing hard but he didn't look like he was going to stop anytime soon. Not that she wanted him to. He rubbed her faster and Lilly began moaning louder and louder and louder as she felt immense pleasure building up.

"Arthur, I'm gonna..." she started to say but then she changed languages as an explosion of wetness hit her...and it was a whole new level of pleasure she hadn't experienced, not even from earlier that day. It was so powerful she started crying. "Táim ag teacht! Táim ag teacht! Tá mé ag teacht chomh crua!" _[I'm coming! I'm coming! I'm coming so hard!]_

Her muscles tensed and released around his shaft but Lilly felt herself dripping. Arthur looked down and his jaw dropped. He slowed down and Lilly felt herself drip more. "Oh my God, Lilly! You..." he glanced at her and made a short laugh of surprise. "You're a gusher! Ha! You are full of surprises!"

"What is that and why am I cryin' about it?!" she demanded.

Arthur laughed. "Relax, it's not a bad thing. It's a _really good_ thing. In fact I...ha, I gotta, just a minute, darlin'," he chortled with glee. Arthur pulled out and went to his knees.

"Arthur!" She protested. "What are you..." She stopped when she felt his mouth on her. He was licking her and he was...slurping? Was he actually slurping? What the hell for? Was this what he meant earlier about eating a honey pot? When he put fingers inside her, Lilly felt him massage something that made her hips buck because it felt that amazing. "WHAT THE FUCK!" her voice warbled as she yelled out and her head went back. "Arthur! What are you doin' to me?!"

"I'm makin' you do that again!"

"What? No! I don't like it! It made me cry!"

Arthur sighed and stopped. "Lilly, that isn't a bad thing. Trust me. It's just you gettin' overwhelmed, that's all. It felt really good didn't it? Better than earlier today?"

Lilly looked at him and frowned. "Yes." It did, but the crying made her feel too vulnerable. Too open. That was the part she didn't like and that was not something she was ready for Arthur to see. If she was ever ready for that, anyway. "It did, but I...I can't." Lilly backed away from him, got off the desk, and started grabbing her clothes.

"Lilly, what are you doin'?"

"I can't...I can't...fuck, I don't know how tah say it, Arthur!" She put her shirt on and began buttoning it. For some reason, Lilly couldn't look him in the eye.

Arthur grabbed her hands with a tenderness that made her feel worse. "Lillian, look at me." Lilly shook her head but Arthur lifted her face by the chin. Lilly averted her gaze. "Lillian, please. Tell me why it's so bad."

"I don't wanna!" she backed up. "Stop thinkin' with yer god damn cock fer a minute and listen! I said no!"

Arthur's face went hard and he took a step towards her. "I ain't thinkin' with my cock! I just wanna know what's wrong! Why won't you tell me?"

"Because ya canna have that part a' me! Nobody can!" she glared with defiance. "If ya want me, yer gonna have tah accept that ya canna have _all_ of me!"

Arthur tilted his head and his face got harder. He looked angry. "All of you? What do you mean 'all of you'?"

"There are things about me ya canna know! That ya canna see! I won't let anyone near 'em, not even you! They're me own tah keep!"

"Well, what the fuck, Lillian?" he barked loudly. "It's not a big shock that you have secrets! I don't know shit about your past! I barely know anythin' about your family other than them all bein' dead and your brother Brian gettin' killed over a god damn debt! And it's fuckin' irritatin' that you won't tell anyone! Or me! But I've never pushed the subject! I never pushed you on why you used to have night terrors, either!"

"Well yer pushin' shit now!" Lilly looked around for her pants.

"Lillian! Lillian stop!"

Lilly slipped on her pants. "Ya ain't the boss of me, Arthur!"

Arthur grabbed her and kissed her forehead, then looked into her eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. You've had a really emotional day so I get-"

"Not emotional! I don't get emotional! I get angry! Now let me go!"

Arthur grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "Lillian. Why are you runnin' away from me?"

"I'm not! I'm just mad!"

"Yeah, but that isn't the only thing you're feelin'. Is it?" he whispered. "Lillian, don't run away from me. Why are you scared of lettin' me see all of you?"

Lilly's eyes narrowed. "What the feck did ya just ask me? Ya think I'm scared?!" Lilly was getting angrier by the minute. "I ain't scared of a god damn thing! As ucht Dé, I took on a feckin' bear!"

Arthur got closer to her face. "Yes, you fought a bear. You also had sex for the first time today. You had your first orgasm, and you had a lot of them today. You found out that someone spied on us and blabbed to the whole gang. And just now, you cried during a really powerful orgasm, and that is perfectly normal. You had a loooong day. So calm down, come sit with me. Don't go. Please."

Lilly's lips were trembling. Fuck, she was about to start crying. She couldn't let him see it. She wouldn't. Lilly backed up from him and held in a breath to hold back the tears. "I do not want tah calm down! I do not want tah sit with ya. I want tah go!" she shouted. "I want tah be alone!"

Arthur lowered his head, then lifted it. Lilly saw he was angry again. "You wanna be alone? You wanna go?! Then FINE!" He pointed to the door. "There's the door, you god damn selfish brat!"

Tears threatened to overwhelm her again. Lilly didn't want him to see it, so instead of yelling, she grabbed her hat and boots. "Keep yer stupid coat! I don't want it!" She unlocked the door, opened it, but stopped and looked at him. "YA FUCKIN' PIECE OF SHITE! YA DIRTY OLD MAN! I HATE YA, ARTHUR MORGAN! AND I WISH TODAY NEVER HAPPENED!" she screamed before storming out.

"Lillian! Shit!" she heard Arthur yell. She walked while shoving her boots on and whistled for her mount. "LILLIAN!"

"FECK OFF, MORGAN! God damn horse! WHERE ARE YA, YA DUMB HORSE?!" Lilly's eyes overflowed with tears and she tried not to sob. "God dammit, stop cryin', ya weak little bitch!" she hissed at herself, slapped herself, and wiped her eyes and cheeks with her sleeves. "HORSE!"

Lilly's temporary mount galloped up. Ugh, finally. She could hear Arthur closing in behind her, so she jumped on her horse and rode away.

* * *

_7-year-old Lilly ran from the theater. She didn't want to be followed. She banked right and went between the theater and another building. She ran to the ladder and began her climb._

_"Miss Lilly!"_

_She turned and saw Mr. Morgan running after her along with the other two men. She climbed faster. "As ucht Dé, what d'ya want?!" Lilly shouted._

_"Give is back our money!" Arthur shouted back._

_Oh. They found that out already. "No can do, Fear Álainn!"_ _[Beautiful Man!]_

_She heard the ladder shake. He was coming after her. Lilly reached the top and looked out in the distance. Lightning flashed. A storm was coming. Thunder boomed and she scampered across the roof. The next building over would be an easy jump. The next one, though. Eesh. She reached into her coat pockets and grabbed her brown leather fingerless gloves and slipped them on with ease. Pounding steps were almost right behind her. Lilly stepped on the ledge and jumped over to the next building. Lightning and thunder flashed and boomed again and the rain started to fall._

_Lilly landed the jump nicely and raced forward as soon as her feet hit the roof. The next jump was going to be difficult. She dared a glance over her shoulder. Arthur just landed his small jump, so the girl faced forward. With as much power she could muster in her legs she chugged on faster across the roof. The ledge was higher, but not too high. Well, here goes nothing. She jumped onto the ledge and used the momentum to leap across the gap. She was going to fall just a wee bit short and she realized this mid air. A wee bit shy of actually landing on the ledge, mostly._

_Her hands grasped the ledge as she hit the side of the building. Arthur jumped across easily. Shit. Fortunately for her, she had a contingency plan. Lilly released the edge and fell down. Along the way she gripped onto thin metal bars sticking out from the building._

_"Kid! What the hell?"_

_Lilly looked up at Arthur. Lightning and thunder came and the rain got heavier. He looked impressed. "Yes, Mr. Morgan?"_

_"What are ya? A kid or a monkey?!"_

_Lilly wanted to smile but did not. "You tell me."_

_She faced forward and stared at the other bars. Perfectly good distance. Each one. The storm began to grow more intense as Lilly swung herself back and forth. Arthur couldn't get down to her, she knew that, but he was going to try all the same for sure. Once she had enough momentum, she let go of the bar and grabbed the next one. She continued her swings and jumps to each bar effortlessly. The storm clashed above her. Lilly had to hurry because the bars were getting slippery._

_"Dutch! Hosea! Are you two seein' this?!"_

_Lilly gazed down at the two men. They were laughing with delight. They must have been impressed too. In that moment her hands slipped. Lilly yelped but shifted and grabbed the slim edge of the building._

_"Shit! You okay kid?" Arthur asked._

_"_ _Are ya that concerned for me well-bein'? If I fall yer definitely gonna get yer money back!"_

_"Yes!"_

_She scrunched up her face at him. "Why?"_

_"Why would I wish death on a child?"_

_Lilly shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe because that child stole yer money?"_

_Arthur cackled. His expression was one of amusement. "You are somethin' else. But since you're stuck, how about I find a way to help you up?"_

_Lilly smirked at him mischeviously. "Who said I was stuck?"_

_She looked to her side at the next ledge over. Should be easy to get to. Lilly inched across the thin stone edge she was barely hanging onto. Her fingers were getting sore. Lilly placed her feet on something sturdy under her, backed her upper body back, then pushed herself off to the ledge she needed to get to. Lilly nailed the catch and climbed around the corner. The ledge was walkable now, thank God. Lilly paced along the wall to the first window. She knocked on it._

_"Helloooooo? Anybody in there?" she shouted._

_"You won't make it out of this, Miss Lilly!" Arthur shouted from above._

_The storm kept brewing and she was now soaking wet. As was Arthur. Lilly smirked and pressed the palm of her dominant hand to the window. Her other hand gripped the edge above her. Her dominant arm bent at the elbow and she moved her forearm back then forward. She was prepping for this. And luckily, the leather in her palms had steel in them. But the boys chasing her didn't need to know that. Lightning and thunder overwhelmed her senses for barely a second. She shut her eyes, inhaled, then exhaled through circular shaped lips she formed. Lilly reached her whole arm back, then thrusted it forward with a loud grunt. The glass didn't break. She pulled back and tried again. Her palm hit the window and it cracked. Ha! And with one more pull back, she struck the glass and it shattered._

_"Oh what the hell?" Arthur groaned. "Are you even human?!"_

_Lilly unlocked the window and lifted the bottom part up. "Hell if I know, Arthur!"_

_"Arthur!" Dutch shouted. "Did she just-"_

_"Yes she did," Lilly heard Arthur laugh._

_She climbed in and jumped across to avoid the broken shards of glass. She was in some sort of office. Hmm. Lilly went over to the desk and opened the drawers. The door slammed open. It was the Hilltop Brothers. They looked beaten up but angry._

_"Shit!" She yelled and jumped to the window. She ran across the ledge away from the window just as they were reached out to grab her. They missed. "Fuck fuck fuck!" She had a glass shard stuck in the bottom of her foot. Not a big one, but significantly hindering. Lilly lifted her foot and yanked it out. "AHH!" she dropped it and limped along the edge. She looked up. Where did Arthur go?_

_A window opened down a ways and Arthur poked his head out. He reached out his arms to her. "Those guys are in here! Come on!"_

_Lilly froze. "Why should I trust you?! I stole from you!"_

_"I don't care about that! If you need it that much then keep it! Just-"_

_The window in front of her opened and Lilly jumped back. "As ucht Dé!"_

_One of the brothers poked his head out and grinned. It was Travis. Bald head and a curly brown mustache. "Hey there, kid. Be a good girl and come back in from the rain." Lilly took a step back. She flinched from the cut in her foot. Travis seemed to notice it. "Ah shit. Are you okay?"_

_"Yes. It's just a scratch."_

_"You're bleedin' all over the place, Miss O'Callaghan. Now come inside and-"_

_Lilly crouched down and hung over the edge. She glared at Travis as the rain pattered down. She let go of the edge and caught the next one down. She fell and caught, fell and caught, fell and caught. Lilly looked over and saw Arthur's two associates waiting for her. Crap. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Lilly realized she was in front of one of her friend's places. She knocked on the window repeatedly. A boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes, no older than 17 in brown overalls and a black shirt came and opened the window._

_"Ah, Lilly." His Irish accent was not as prominent as hers, but it still showed. "Cén chaoi a bhfuil sé crochta?"_ _[How's it hanging?]_

 _"Ha ha, very funny, Craig! Look, I...Tá cúigear fear ag teacht chugam. Ní gá dom dul i bhfolach anseo. Ní gá dom ach bealach amach as an bhfoirgneamh."_ _[There are five men coming to me. I don't need to hide here. I only need a way out of the building.]_

_Craig helped her in and shut the window. "Yer gonna need that foot taken care of first. Why do you always insist on being barefoot?"_

_Lilly plopped onto a chair by the dinner table and raised her foot. "Boots and shoes slow me down and make too much noise."_

_"Well, what was your target this time?" He went into the washroom for medical supplies._

_"Them."_

_Craig poked his head out. "Them? Ya mean Travis and Steven?"_

_Lilly pulled out the pocketwatch. "Yep."_

_"Are they after you?"_

_"Yes." She put the watch into her side pouch._

_"And the other three?" He went and knelt by her foot and started cleaning the blood off. "They with the brothers?"_

_"No, uh...actually one of 'em saved me from gettin' hit by a horse and carriage. And God, I'm too young fer these kinds of feelings but I know a massive beave when I see one."_

_Craig laughed. "That good lookin', aye?" He started cleaning the wound._

_"Craig, I don't believe in love at first sight. But Jesus Christ, I'm at a close second to it! And I might hafta fight ya fer him!" she snickered._

_There was a knock on the door. "Miss Lilly!"_

_She sighed. "Speak of the Devil."_

_Craig went under the table and grabbed his father's shotgun. "Want me to shoot the bastard?"_

_"No. Let him in, he's fine."_

_"You sure?"_

_"Yes, Craig. He was only chasin' me because I stole money from him."_

_Craig sighed. "You have a strange way of expressin' crushes and gratitude." He opened the door and a soaking wet Arthur Morgan was standing there. Craig's eyes went wide and he welcomed the man inside. As Craig shut the door, he let out a hysterical giggle and mouthed the words "Oh my God!" at her._

_"Yes," Lilly grinned. "Craig, meet Fear Álainn. Fear Álainn, meet Craig."_

_"Arthur will do just fine."_

_Craig put the gun down and went back to tending Lilly's foot. "Grá ar an gcéad amharc go deimhin,"_ _[Love at first glance indeed]_ _Craig said and wiggled his eyebrows at Lilly, then he wrapped her foot in gauze._

_"Dúirt mé leat, [I told you]" Lilly let out a sing song voice._

_Craig and Lilly laughed amongst themselves. "Uh, excuse me?" Arthur cleared his throat. "Might I have a word with Miss Lilly?"_

_Lilly sighed. "Whatever ya hafta say, ya can say it in front of Craig._ _"_

_"Fair enough." Arthur crouched to Lilly's side. "Why are those men after you?"_

_"Did ya not get the information outta 'em before ya kicked their arses? Travis looked particularly worse for wear," Lilly replied._

_"Yes. But why are you runnin' from your father?"_

_Craig and Lilly eyed each other. "Bí cúramach le do chuid focal, Lilly," [Be careful with your words, Lilly] Craig warned. "Fiú níl mórán eolais agam. Fear álainn, ach strainséir álainn."_ _[Even I don't know much. Beautiful man, but a beautiful stranger.]_

_"He...uh...he's not a very nice man," Lilly replied. "He's a very bad man, in fact. I ran away." Lilly hated lying._

_"What does your watch have to do with it?"_

_"...Family heirloom." Craig pinched her. "Ouch!"_

_"Cúramach," [Careful] Craig said sternly._

_Arthur looked at the two of them with squinted eyes. "Miss Lilly, do those men work for your father?"_

_"Yes."_

_"So why do you owe a debt to your father?" Lilly bit her lip. Caught in a lie. Shit. "Wait, scratch that. Why do you want to kill those men?"_

_Lilly looked at Craig. "Ar chóir dom a insint dó faoi mo dheartháir? Ní maith liom luí."_ _[Should I tell him about my brother? I don't like lying.]_

 _"Do rogha, Lilly. Cad a dhéanfadh Brian?"_ _[Your choice, Lilly. What would Brian do?]_

 _"Tá Brian marbh," [Brian is dead] Lilly's eyes welled with tears. "Tá mo theaghlach ar fad marbh."_ _[My whole family is dead.]_

_Arthur sighed and grabbed a hankerchief from his pocket. He started dabbing at her eyes. Lilly flinched but he held up a hand. "I'm sorry. You were...well..." he offered the hanky instead._

_Lilly took it and growled. "I ain't cryin'. I'm just drippin' with raindrops, ya silly man."_

_"Cad a dhéanfadh Sean? Faighim a chomhfhreagras go fóill_ _," [What would Sean do? I still get his correspondence] said Craig._

_Lilly chuckled. "He'd talk a dog off a meat wagon." Lilly looked at Arthur. "They killed me brother, Brian. And that man they want me to go back to ain't my real father. He ordered them to kill Brian."_

_"Hmm. Where's your real father then?"_

_"...Dead."_

_"Your mother?"_

_"Dead."_

_"And your brother. Well, that's-"_

_"And my other brother. And my little sister. All dead. And I..." Lilly stopped talking and looked down at the hanky she was holding. "Don't make me say more, Mr. Morgan."_

_Lilly watched his hand go on top of hers. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry for your losses, kid. I really am."_

_The door busted open. It was the Hilltop Brothers. "There she is!"_

_Craig grabbed the shotgun but Travis shot him in the head. "CRAIG!" Lilly shouted. Oh my god, not Craig!_

_Arthur had his guns out already and was aiming them at the men. "He was just a kid! What the fuck!"_

_"Now calm down. We only want the girl." Travis said._

_Arthur moved in front of her. "You want Miss Lilly? You gotta go through me!"_

_"Arthur..." Lilly said. "I'll go with them."_

_"Lilly! No!"_

_"They killed Craig. Don't make me watch you die too." Lilly stood up and poked her head out from behind Arthur's leg. "I'll go with you, but spare Arthur. Please."_

_"Lilly, no! You are not goin' with them!"_

_"We will spare him, Miss O'Callaghan," the other brother Steven said. He had an eye patch and greasy brown hair. "You have our word."_

_"Lilly. Don't you do it, kid. They'll kill me anyway!"_

_"It's my choice, Arthur. And they won't. If they do, I'll cut out Steven's other eye."_

_Steven laughed. "I don't doubt it, kid. You really are a tough little savage."_

_Lilly reached into her side pouch and pulled out the two bill folds...and her family pocket watch. She stuffed them into his back pocket. "Keep it, somethin' to remember me by. I won't be needin' it no more." Lilly walked over to Travis and Steven with her head lowered and her hand up. "Take me back to Papa."_

_Steven picked her up with a grunt. "You shouldn't be walkin' on that foot, Lilly. I'll carry you."_

_Lilly nodded and looked back at Arthur. He had the saddest expression on his face. "Bye, Fear Álainn." [Beautiful Man.] Travis shot Arthur in the chest and he hit the table then fell to the floor. "NO! YOU PROMISED!"_

_"He'd follow us, Miss O'Callaghan," Steven sighed. "Besides, he might live. Maybe."_

_Lilly took out her knife and was going to stab Steven's other eye but Travis yanked it from her hand. "Ah ah ah, nope." He pocketed it. "Let's go, Steve."_

_Lilly hit Steven over and over as he pushed her on his shoulder. She looked at Arthur and Craig and started sobbing. "ARTHUR! GET UP!" The men started walking but Lilly kicked and screamed. "NO! NO! ARTHUR!"_


	8. Fear Álainn

_Arthur took a deep breath in. "God, that hurt!" He sat up and grabbed the back of his head. He assumed he hit his head and got knocked out. Oh yeah, he got shot. He looked down at himself and spotted a bullet hole on his shirt pocket, so he reached into it and pulled out his gold pocketwatch. It had a bullet in it. "Ha! Son of a bitch! Oh!"_

_He reached into his back pocket and took out the billfolds. Well that was nice of the kid to give them back. He put them in his satchel, but he still had something in the pocket. He grabbed the item by its chain and lifted it up. Lilly's family pockwatch. That's what Lilly gave him to remember her by? It was silver, highly decorated, and was crafted with passion and perfection. A white argent and a green vert with a white wolf and oak trees were etched into the shield. There was a dexter arm holding a sword with a snake entwining the blade. It had to be her family crest. He wondered if the motto was somewhere on it too. When he turned it over, Arthur saw the words 'Fidus Et Audax' inscribed into the back. Yep. His Latin was a but rusty but...nope, couldn't think of it. He opened the watch and a picture of a family was under the lid. A man, a woman with a baby, a teenage boy, and two little girls. One of them was a younger version of Lilly_ _._

_Arthur couldn't figure it out. They didn't even know each other, yet this young girl acted so courageous a_ _nd signed away her freedom and possibly her life just to spare the life of a stranger. His life. Perhaps it was because Arthur saved Lilly first, but Arthur had a feeling there was more to it. Like the name she called him. Fear something. What did it mean? Was it a joke only meant for her to know? A pet name? A term of endearment? Ugh, he would probably never know because she was gone, and that made his heart ache. Why? Lilly O'Callaghan was just a girl. Right? Then why was he so drawn to her? Initially he thought she was just a helpless kid until she charged him from the dark under the stage and threatened him with her blade._

_That was when he knew she wasn't helpless and his mind kept drifting back to her sacrifice to save him. He closed the watch. Something to remember her by. Heh, as if he could ever forget her. Lilly leaping out from the dark and putting a knife to his throat, robbing him and Dutch, tricking them into thinking she had returned their money, watching her leap from one roof to another, staring in awe as she scaled a building with only her hands, seeing her break a window with her palm...no, Arthur was never going to forget that little girl. That sneaky, knife wielding, red headed, freckle faced, bright little monkey._

_He pressed his lips to the watch. Arthur wasn't going to forget Lilly because he was going to go after her. He was not going to let that child get dragged to whatever Hell she was afraid of going back to. With his face and mind set with determination, he grabbed his hat, got up, and put the family heirloom in his satchel. He placed the hat back on his head, he checked his guns in case he needed to reload, and quickly strolled out of the apartment like he was on a mission. As he stormed down the hallway Dutch and Hosea came around the corner._

_"Arthur!" Dutch said with relief. "What happened?!"_

_"Lilly was taken." Arthur marched past them and stuffed the gold watch back into his shirt pocket. "_ _I'm gonna go get her back."_

_"Alright then." Dutch and Hosea followed after him. "You know where they're goin'?"_

_"Back home. I don't know where that is but I will find her," Arthur replied with a calm resolve as he quickly trotted with ease down the stairs_ _._ _"And when I_ _do find her, I will kill every last one of those mother fuckers and no one is gonna take that kid from me again."_

_"From you? You just met her!" Hosea said curiously_ _._

_Dutch chuckled. "Really, Arthur, I admire this knight in shinin' armor thing you got goin' on, but we don't even know where to look."_

_The trio walked out of the building onto the street._ _"_ _I don't care," Arthur turned and looked at them both with great resolve. "_ _You can come with me or not, but I'm gonna find her. I don't care how long it takes or how far I have to go, but I'm gonna find that girl, I'm gonna bring that girl home with us, and I'm gonna protect that girl until the day I die."_

_Dutch and Hosea looked at each other with their mouths agape. Dutch started chuckling. "Hosea, I think Arthur here is smitten!"_

_Hosea gave Arthur a look as if he was studying the young man. "I think you may be right, Dutch. Arthur, is your heart goin' piddly pat, piddly pat when you think of her?"_

_Arthur narrowed his eyes and tension formed in his jaw muscles. "You think this is funny? You think it's funny I'm tryin' to save a child," Arthur took slow steps towards them, "from the man, the guy that ain't her real father, who orchestrated her brother's murder and from the two men that carried it out? Do you think it's funny Lilly went with them willingly to save my life? And also, by the way, they went back on their word and shot me anyway!" Arthur tossed Dutch the ruined gold watch. "And do you think it's funny Lilly had to watch a good friend of hers die up there? Do you think it's funny Lilly," he reached into the satchel and showed them Lilly's watch, "gave me this to remember her by? Do you think it's funny that Lilly's mother, father, little sister, and two brothers are all dead and that she is all alone in the world? YOU TELL ME RIGHT NOW HOW ANY OF THAT IS FUCKING FUNNY!"_

_"Excuse me, sir?" A long red haired, blue eyed girl in a red dress and shoes tugged on Arther's leg. "Are you okay?" she asked. Her accent was Irish._

_Arthur sighed apologetically. "Sorry, kid. I'm just a little upset right now."_

_"About Lillian? Lillian O'Callaghan?"_

_Arthur's eyes widened. "Yes! Do you know her?"_

_"Very old friends, she and I. She doesn't remember me, but anyway...are you looking for her? I saw some guys put her in a carriage half past 9! She was kicking up such a fuss about her beloved Fear Álainn. Is that you?"_

_Arthur knelt down to the girl and smiled. "Yes."_

_"Well, she hit the nail on the head with that one."_

_Arthur was confused by what she was saying but he smiled at the girl anyway. "You are a lifesaver, kid. What did the carriage look like? Did they say where they were goin'?"_

_"It was one of those expensive carriages. All red, four Suffolk Punch horses. They're going to the train station up north to catch a train to Saint Denis. She used to live there, did you know that?"_

_Arthur laughed. "No but I only met her today, Miss."_

_She giggled. "And yet here you are, about to go rescue your damsel in distress. You must love her very much."_

_Arthur cleared his throat and avoided the facetious gazes he knew Dutch and Hosea were giving him. "Well, uh...I suppose. Not in the...you know..."_

_"Oh, not in the romantic way. Of course! That would be rather awkward." The girl stuck her tongue out at Dutch and Hosea. "And you stop giving him a hard time! You both are going to love her too! She's like a giant love magnet!" She looked back at Arthur. "Now get going! You don't have all day!"_

_Arthur laughed at the odd child. "You're a strange kid, but thanks." he gave her some money. "Here, for your trouble."_

_The girl's eyes lit up. "Oooh! American currency!" She took it and giggled. "Thank you! Bye!" the girl shouted as she went skipping away._

* * *

Lilly was riding the horse damn near into the ground. She was crying for sure and she hated it. Why did she have to go and say such stupid things to Arthur? She had a bad temper, sure, but Lilly acted like an overdramatic idiot. And it shamed her. She couldn't go back and she couldn't look him in the eye after this. Such deep contemplation was distracting, however, and she almost didn't see the two animals in the road. She pulled the reins once she saw them and the horse stopped immediately. There were two wolves in the road. Her wolves.

"...Well," she sniffled and rubbed her eyes and cheeks. She calmed herself down to that of. sarcastic mood rather than a depressed one. "Fancy runnin' into the two of yas here." Her horse got antsy and she patted his neck. "Easy..." Lilly dismounted and strolled over to the pair of wild animals. "What are ya up to?"

Lilly heard another horse galloping down the trail. It was Arthur, for sure, but she kept her back to him. Lilly didn't know what to say. She said horrible things that she definitely didn't mean. The wolves whined and whimpered at her and she sighed. She reached into her satchel and tossed them some salted meat. They ate those up happily and she crossed her arms with a shake of her head.

"Lillian," Arthur said behind her.

Lilly didn't have the nerve to face him. Or was she too proud? "...Arthur."

Lilly heard him walk up to her and she felt him put his...her coat on her. "You'll catch your death out here," he said tenderly. "Huh, hey there, bear killers. Thanks for helpin' Lilly out with that by the way." Arthur sighed and adjusted the coat on her. "How are you doin' macushla?"

Oh boy. Lilly turned her head to catch him in her peripherals. "...You don't even know what that means."

"I don't have to. It's what you call me, so...you're my macushla too."

Lilly let out a feminine chortle. "It's pronounced 'mu-cooishla'. Well, roughly. Depends on what part of Ireland you're from."

"Macushla is easier to pronounce, my macushla."

Lilly laughed a little. "You don't need the 'my' in front of it. Mo means my."

"Oh. Well, okay, macushla. I don't care what it means, I just-"

"My pulse."

"What?"

Lilly turned and looked into his eyes. "Mo chuisle means 'my pulse' in Gaeilge."

Arthur narrowed one eye. He looked befuddled. "Huh. That's an odd pet name."

Lilly got close to Arthur, grabbed his gloved hand, and placed his palm over her heart. Lilly patted his hand in rhythmic twos to mimic a heart beat. "Mo chuisle. My pulse."

Arthur looked surprised and happy. "Your heartbeat."

"Mmhmm."

Arthur smiled and caressed her cheek. "I didn't think you was the romantic type," he cooed.

"Heh. Guess I'm full of surprises."

A sharp breath emitted from Arthur's lungs. "You always were. Right from day one."

Lilly wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her face into the side of his neck. "You want another surprise, Fear Álainn?"

Arthur held her. "You haven't called me that since you were a kid. But yes, tell me another surprise."

"It means 'beautiful man'."

A shocking cackle came out of Arthur's mouth. "Are you serious?"

A giggling fit escaped from Lilly. "Yeah. You were Mo Fear Álainn."

Arthur actually started giggling too. "Fuckin' Dutch. He was Fancy Pants!"

They both went into a fit of hysterics. "Yeah, and Athair _[Father]_ was Wise Ass!"

"Haha! You kept mine from me, though!"

"I told you, Arthur. It was because you were special."

Arthur laughed and kissed her. "I'm so sorry, darlin'."

Lilly shook her head in disagreement. "No, I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me."

"I think I do."

Lillu looked at him quizzically. "You do?"

Arthur smirked at her. "I got into you."

Lilly tried to hide a smile and shoved Arthur in the shoulder. "You are terrible, bithiúnach. Absolutely terrible."

They both laughed then pressed their foreheads together. They held hands and shut their eyes. "Forgiven," Arthur spoke softly with tenderness in his voice.

"Forgiven," Lilly repeated with the same volume and tone.

* * *

_7-year-old Lilly was sitting in the carriage glumly with Steven, Travis, and two more of Papa's men. Donald and Giovanni. Her hands and ankles were bound by rope. And she was mad. Livid. They killed Craig and they killed Arthur. And half the point of coming to Blackwater was to get her family's pocketwatch back, but now it was in the backpocket of a dead 22-year-old Arthur Morgan. The fucking luck she had was shite. Oh, her Fear Álainn. Lilly was so unsure why a man she barely knew could exert such an influence on her. But he was just so pretty and so nice and he tried to protect her. Tried to keep her from Travis and Steven, but he died for it and she could only blame herself. Craig's death was her fault too. And Brian's._ _People dying around because of her, for her...at least no one else would have to perish needlessly once she was back in Papa's custody. And the things he was going to do to her? Heh, she deserved it. It was her punishment and she had to be held accountable no matter how bad the sentence was. Lilly closed her eyea and teardrops rolled own her cheeks._

_"Ah, Miss O'Callaghan. Why are you so sad?" Steven asked innocently. "You're going home to your Papa. He will be so happy to see you again."_

_"He isna me Papa, Steven," she snarled angrily._ _"And yer stupid twat of a dumb fuck brother killed Craig and Arthur."_ _She may be guilty but she'd be damned if she showed weakness...ir more of it. Lilly wiped her eyes and cheeks._

_All the men laughed at her. "Holy shit, the mouth on this kid!" Steven cackled. "God, all those nights of sittin' in on poker, kid. We really were a bad influence on you!" The men laughed again and Lilly sighed in defeat. "So, Lilly...who was that Arthur guy? And Craig?"_

_"No one of significance tah ya, Steven."_

_"But they were both significant to you," Travis surmised. "Arthur saved you from gettin' run over today."_

_"Yeah, it was that same guy. Huh," Steven chuckled. "Did you know him?"_

_"No," Lilly growled. She didn't like talking about dead friends, family, and loved ones_ _. "We just met today."_

_"Shit, kid. He was so adamant on keepin' you all to himself. You really do draw a lot of people. Hell, even us. Right, boys?" They all gave various noises of agreement._

_"I donna give a fuck!" she snapped furiously. "Ya keep killin' people I care about. Does that not matter tah any of yas?"_ _Why would it matter to them? They were all hateful and evil gobshites. And Papa was the worst of them all. Just thinking about him made her stomach heave._

_Travis sighed. "Look, kid. What happened to your brother was unfortunate. And hell, we didn't even want to kill Brian. He was one of us! But your Papa wanted it done. And shit, kid. You're one of us too!"_

_"I ain't one of yas! Ya fucks can rot in feckin' hell! And if I'm gonna be stuck in here with ya smelly bastards, keep yer mouths shut so I donna hafta smell the shite comin' outta yer god damn mouths!" she screamed_ _._

_All the men broke out into hysterics. "She's worse than a drunken sailor," Donald laughed._

_Lilly growled in frustration. "DO YA FUCKS NOT GET WHY I'M SO FECKIN' MAD?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YA? YA MURDERED THE ONLY FAMILY I HAD LEFT, MY ONLY FRIEND, AND MY FEAR ÁLAINN! HOW DARE YA CUNTS LAUGH AT ME FER BEIN' MAD!" Lilly screeched with the power of a hurricane. But then she started to sob. She hated crying in front of other people. It was weak_ _of her_ _, but she couldn't hold them back_. _Lilly truly wished she was dead._

_Giovanni sighed and put an arm around her. "You're right. We're bein' cunts. We'll stop now, okay?"_

_Lilly knocked his arm away. "Don't ya try tah butter me up, ya bastard! Yer no better than the rest of 'em no matter how nice ya are!_ _Try that again and I'll rip yer throat out with me teeth!" And she would, too. If she planned on escaping, that is. But even if she did, where would she go? They'd only find and capture her again._

_"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Sheesh_!"

_Gunshots were fired outside the carriage. The men perked up and Donald looked out the window. "What the hell? Who are those guys?"_

_Lilly straightened up. What guys? Was it those two men Arthur was with? Oh please, let it be those two! They'd be better than this lot!_ _Anyone would! Her resolve rose from the ashes and Lilly decided Papa and all his unmerry men could go fuck themselves. Punishment and weakness be damned!_

_Steven looked out the window. "You gotta be kiddin' me," he said with shock in his voice._

* * *

_Arthur, Dutch, and Hosea were chasing after the carriage and shooting_ _all the extra guns to high hell. Arthur didn't care how many there were. He didn't care much about anything at the moment except Lilly._

_"Who is this asshole?" Dutch shouted. "He's got a whole army!"_

_"I don't know!" Arthur replied. "What I want to know is-" A man came flailing out of the carriage on Dutch's side and hit the ground. "What in the hell?"_

* * *

_Lilly had gotten out of her bonds quickly and quietly. In all the commotion with the gun fight, she'd managed to use that opportunity to do so. And because her wrists and hands were so small and the rope was so thick, there was slack with the ropes. Eejits, the lot of 'em. It was a cinch to get out of. She had spare knives in her jacket and the dumb dumbs didn't bother to check for her secret pockets. Her advantage now was being smaller in a confined space, whereas the men were bigger and more awkward and slower than she was. Lilly eyed all the men who were staring out the windows. Donald was closest to her. A tall, lanky fellow with buzzed black hair and a scar over his left cheek. Lilly gripped two knives in her hands as she waited patiently for the opportune moment. Giovanni was looking outside, the brothers were looking out the same side together. Donald opened the door opposite and pulled his gun out. The moment was there._

_Lilly moved quicker than a shadow as the blade cut Donald's throat open. He dropped the gun and Lilly shoved him out_ _then she hid her knives and sat with the ropes displayed_ _as if she was still bound and subdued._

_"Hey! Donald fell out!" she yelled with false concern._

_Travis looked over and laughed hysterically. "What a dumbass!" He came over and shut the door._

_Lilly pulled out her knives, kicked Travis' knee out and stabbed him in his neck. The spray of blood hit Lilly but it was of no consequence to her. She pulled it out and the dying whimper coming out of Travis drew the attention of Steven._

_"Lilly you-"_

_She immediately threw her knife at Steven's head and it went right into his good eye. He slumped down instantly. Giovanni wrapped his arms around the girl but she made good on her word and clamped her teeth onto his throat. She bit as hard as she could and tasted blood before jerking her head away with a rip of his flesh. He bled out and Lilly dropped the chunk of throat from her teeth._

_"Dead men tell no tales," Lilly blurted out. She loved making puns._

_As she picked up her knives, the top of the carriage was sliced open. It was one of Papa's goons. He had a gun and he started shooting at her. Lilly backed up and picked up Travis' corpse to use as a shield._ _Once the_ _man's gun was empty, Lilly pulled out a throwing knife and threw it up. It hit the man in the thigh and he fell in. With a flourish of metal, Lilly made a downward slice to his neck. As she pulled out the throwing knife one of the doors opened. Another god damn goon. Lilly rolled her eyes and flung the knife. It hit home in his chest and he instantly dropped from the carriage. Lilly slammed the door shut. When she jerked around two men jumped in one by one. Lilly groaned and rolled her eyes in irritation._

_"Come on, Lilly. Enough!" one of them said._

_Lilly took a deep breath, puffed it out, and narrowed her eyes. "Me brother, me friend, and Mo Fear Álainn are all dead. Killin' all of ya will NEVER be enough!"_

_They went for her but she ducked and punctured their bellies before slicing them open. Their guts plopped out and the men dropped with dying groans. God, the smell of dead bodies was horrendously strong. The intenstines of the deceased men increased the unwanted assault to her sense of smell._

_"Ugh, if I got shite on me, I swear tah God!" she growled._

_Sure, blood was acceptable, but fecal matter was another story. The carriage jerked amd Lilly fell over._

* * *

_Dutch and Hosea shot the drivers and both tried to jump onto the seats. Unfortunately they couldn't jump in time to prevent the horses from going down a hill and they almost fell themselves. The carriage hit a giant boulder and the whole thing flipped over with the poor animals. Arthur rode up and watched in horror as the reins and straps snapped off and two of the horses managed to get up and walk it off. The other two, however, died from broken necks. He dismounted and went running and sliding down after it, fearing the worst for the child trapped inside. The carriage kept tumbling down the hill and no matter how fast Arthur went, he could not stop the carriage from smashing its roof into a tree_ _with a sudden stop._

_"LILLIAN!" Arthur shouted. "No, no, no, no!"_

_Men came riding on horses but Arthur shot them all down as he hit the carriage with his side. He stood up awkwardly but he kept shooting. No one was going to get by him to take the girl even if the fall or the men inside killed her. Arthur reloaded quickly and proceeded to fire at the guards that kept coming. Dutch and Hosea joined the young man in protecting his precious cargo. Hosea wasn't one for killing people but apparently he was willing to make an exception in this case. And Dutch? He had no qualms whatsoever about shooting anyone as long as they weren't innocent people. But Arthur...if Lilly was dead, he might just lose his god damn mind and kill everybody._

_The battle finally ceased and the men put their guns away. Arthur jumped up onto the carriage and practically ripped the door off. When he looked inside, his heart broke into pieces._ _"God dammit!" he choked out, his voice heavy with grief._


	9. The Pickpocket

_"God dammit!"_

_The_ _chaotic aftermath inside the carriage from the tumble_ _was a horrible sight to behold. There was blood everywhere. Did the fall down the hill cause all this? There was at least...it was too hard to count the bodies piled up in there. All men. But where was Lilly? Arthur stood up and looked around. Did she fa_ _ll out and he just didn't see her? No, that was stupid._ _Arthur threw his hat off and climbed in to move the bodies. Jesus Christ, the smell! After pushing the first, second, and third body, Arthur spotted a blood stained gray jacket. Lilly was buried under the corpses for sure. "_ _Jesus Christ..." he choked._

_"You find her? Is she alive?"_ _Dutch asked._

_Arthur shoved the bodies away. Once Lilly's body was uncovered, Arthur got a good look at her. She was face down and her eyes were shut. Lilly had blood on her face, it was in her hair, on her hands, on her feet, on her clothes...it was everywhere! Lilly wasn't moving, but was she breathing? He lowered his ear to her mouth. He couldn't hear anything. Arthur turned her over and checked her neck for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there._

_"She's not breathin' but her heart's still goin'. Lilly, wake up! Wake up!" Arthur cradled her body in his lap and patted Lilly's blood smeared face. "Come on, sweetheart, breathe! Come on!"_ _he demanded_. _Still nothing._

_"Arthur, let's get her outta there first!" Hosea exclaimed quickly. "Maybe she's bleeding out somewhere!"_

_Arthur stood with her in his arms and held her up. Dutch and Hosea pulled her out and Arthur lifted himself out. He jumped down and grabbed the girl from the two men. Arthur opened her jacket and went to take it off when he saw what as underneath. She was wearing a black chemise shirt. Two brown leather straps criss crossed over her back and chest had knives in sheaths. Lilly had on a belt with smaller knives that were held on with loops over the blades. He took all that off and started checking her for wounds. He found a nasty gash on the back of her head._

_"Shit!" Arthur took off his bandana and applied pressure to her head, then laid her down and shook her. "Lillian, sweetheart, you gotta breathe for me, okay? Come on!"_

_He pressed on her chest, tried to breathe for her, and anything else he could think of but nothing worked. Arthur checked for her pulse again. It was more faint than before._

_"Lillian, don't you go dyin' on me!" He held Lilly in his arms as he sat on his knees and kept trying to revive her. "Wake up, Lilly! Breathe, god dammit!" But she wouldn't wake up and she wouldn't breathe. Arthur's own breathing went ragged and he started whimpering as he talked. "Lilly, please! Wake up!" he pleaded. Arthur checked for Lilly's pulse again but it wasn't there anymore. "No. No no no no no, Lilly. Don't go. Please don't go..."_

_Arthur gripped Lilly's body tight to his own and held the back of her head. Arthur did not want to cry. He tried not to, but his sorrow overruled his pride and he was soon blinded by tears and his body jerked from keeping himself silent. He started rocking Lilly's body back and forth. Whether this was a paternal instinct to comfort a child or a motion to comfort himself, he didn't know, but there was no escape from his grief. This child, this blue eyed, red headed, little Irish lass with the truest of grit captured his heart in a matter of minutes, and then he lost her just as quickly._

_As he continued to sway Lilly to and fro, Arthur buried his face into the crook of her neck. The thought of how they met crossed his mind, and it dawned on him the aftereffect of the girl's arrival into his life was one and the same with her departure from it; in his arms because of a carriage. Fate was cruel and this realization devastated Arthur to the highest degree. Arthur felt a hand on his shoulder and the young man went tense._

_"I don't know what to say, son," Dutch choked sadly. "Bein' sorry ain't enough."_

_Hosea put his hand on Lilly's head. "It's never easy when a kid dies, Arthur."_

_"She..." Arthur's breath shuddered. "I...I don't-"_

_Suddently th_ _e_ _girl took a deep, wheezy breath and began to cough and hack. Hosea and Dutch came around Arthur and gaped at her. Arthur's jaw went slack and he started laughing_ _almost maniacally. "Lilly! You're...holy shit!" he said breathlessly as he sat her up and patted her back._

_"Thank God!" Dutch laughed happily. "I thought she was a goner!"_

_"I'll be god damned!" Hosea_ _plopped down and let out a breathful laugh._

_Arthur_ _kept patting her back as her coughing and sputtering was ongoing._ _He shifted to sit down and wrapped his arms around Lilly when the coughing stopped. "You scared the shit outta me, kid!"_

_Lilly sucked in air and blew it out with high pitched breaths. She let out one last cough before she finally noticed who was holding her._ _She looked as if she was seeing a ghost._ _"Arthur?" she whimpered. Lilly grabbed each side of his face and goggled Arthur._ _"But...but ya_ _got shot! I saw it with me own eyes, Fear_ _Álainn! What the bloody hell!"_

_Arthur laughed breathlessy. "Bullet hit my pocketwatch."_

_"Yeah, I got the watch right here!" Dutch said. "It will only be right twice a day but it will make a great souvenir!"_

_Arthur chuckled and shook his head. "Shut up, Dutch,"_ _Arthur said jokingly. L_ _illy began_ _to laugh_ _and_ _Arthur palmed her cheeks softly as their foreheads connected. Arthur closed his eyes_. " _Are you okay?"_

_With a small and amused giggle, Lilly nodded._ _"Yes, I think so. What happened?"_

_Arthur_ _laughed and kept his hold on Lilly as he got up. "Carriage crashed into the tree."_

_Lilly spotted it and cringe. "Fuckin' 'ell. Ouch," she grunted and touched her head. "I think me head got knockered."_

_Arthur examined the gash to her head but he couldn't find it. "What in the hell?" The wound was gone. Had he imagined it? Lilly was covered in so much blood. Perhaps his eyes played a trick on him in his frightened state of mind. "Well, shit. Heh." Arthur smiled at her. "I'm just glad you're okay."_

_Lilly wiped her nose. "Arthur, why did ya come after me?"_

_"Well," he chuckled. "I guess I got a soft spot for you, kid. You left quite the impression on me."_

_Lilly clung to him and buried herself into his chest. "Thank you."_

_"Well, now that that's over and done with, I suggest you two get washed up," Dutch said._

_Arthur and Lilly examined themselves and Lilly laughed. "As ucht Dé! I got blood all over ya, Fear Álainn! Wait, where are all me knives?" Arthur stared down at the weapons. Oh yeah. Lilly squirmed out of his arms and picked up the belt and straps. "So glad I didn't lose these. Oh!" She ran to her jacket and lifted it up. She rolled her eye and dropped it. "Ugh, stop the god damn lights! It's ruined!"_

_The three men laughed. "You really like cursin', don't you?" Dutch asked cheerfully._

_"Yeah. I was told it gives me character."_

_Arthur smiled. Yeah, little Lilly O'Callaghan was a character, all right. He kept his eyes locked on her as she went running off. "Hey, where you goin', kid?"_

_"I need a wash! There's a river nearby! Come on, Fear Álainn!_ _"_

_"Wait, you know where we are?"_

_"Yep. I live out here!"_

_"Seriously?" Arthur ran a hand through his hair, ran over to grab his hat, and followed her with the other men. "Why all the way out here?"_

_"I'm not one fer city livin'. Too many judgmental sheep and their droppin's in one place. Blackwater aint so bad, but New York City and Saint Denis? Good Lord, ya can smell the fear and shite fer miles!"_

* * *

After their fight, Arthur and Lilly went back to the private car of Cornwall's train and made up. Repeatedly. And afterwards, Lilly grabbed a bunch of books from the train to keep. By the time they rode back into camp, the sun was about to come up. Everything was packed up and ready to go and Dutch and Hosea were waiting for them as they approached.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up _after_ all the heavy lifting got done. We've been wonderin' what kept you two out all night," Dutch said, but his tone implied he knew exactly what kept them.

Lilly swore her cheeks were more red than the object of her middle name but it most definitely was not from the cold. She kept trying to restrain herself from smiling but Lilly's face didn't want to cooperate because she was in the thralls of euphoria.

"Hmm. Yes, one of our theories was that a bear ate you both," Hosea said amusingly. "You've been running into those lately, Lilly. They must hate you something awful."

Lilly glanced over at Arthur. He was less secretive about how he was feeling. "Naw, Hosea, I don't think they hate her. They're obviously attracted to her because," Arthur gave Lilly the most devious of smirks and put an arm around her. "She's a honeypot full of the sweetest and purest of nectars."

Lilly blushed even more. What he said horrified her but she smiled at Arthur innocently while removing her gloves. "Aww, such a charmer," Lilly chuckled and gave his cheek a forceful pinch. "Déan é sin arís agus maróidh mé thú, bithiúnach," Lilly threatened through her smile. _[Repeat this and I will kill you, reprobate.]_

Arthur seemed to pick up on her warning. He grinned at the older men. "But no, we didn't encounter any bears. I made sure of that."

"What do ya mean ya made sure of it? How?" Lilly asked with a quizzical expression.

Arthur looked at her with a straight face. "Why else would I lick your honeypot clean?" Dutch and Hosea guffawed hysterically. Lilly turned bright red and punched Arthur in the arm. "Ow!" he laughed.

"Yer a feckin' arsehole, Arthur Morgan!" Lilly shouted.

Lilly went to hit Arthur again but he knocked her hand away and kissed her with a chuckle vibrating in his throat. He stopped and put his lips to her ear. "Please don't be mad. I can't act like a sissy in front of the others, but I have to mark my territory. You can understand that, can't you?" he whispered.

Lilly clicked her tongue and sighed heavily. She knew all too well about keeping up appearances. The foundation of her and Arthur's individual standing in the gang was their dominance. Any sign of weakness in an alpha would draw out the hyenas and vultures. Not that Arthur or Lilly would have a problem reestablishing their prepotency within the group, of course. However, she didn't appreciate being referred to as "his territory". Lilly was a woman, not some play thing he could have unquestionable dominion over. Is that how he felt about her? No, she was just being an eejit. Lilly knew Arthur had more respect for her than that. Still...

"Yes, I understand, Morgan," she whispered bitterly before pulling away and facing her Da and Athair.

Arthur sighed. "Anyway, we gettin' outta this hellhole?"

"We're gonna try. Weather seems stable," Dutch said.

"And we just robbed a Leviticus Cornwall train," Hosea spoke bitterly.

"We got money in our pockets. The worst is behind us. So the question is where now?"

"I know this country a little. I told you, we should set up camp in Horseshoe Overlook near Valentine. We'll be able to hide out there, no problem, as long as we keep our noses clean."

"Well, then let's go. Clean noses and everythin' else." Dutch glanced at Arthur. "Arthur, you're in that one," he said as he pointed to a wagon. "Bring Hosea. I know you two like to talk about the good old days and what's gone wrong with old Dutch. And Lilly...try not to get lost this time," he said before climbing up into a wagon.

Lilly stuck her tongue out at her Da and walked to the wagon with Arthur. "Well, guess you two can hash out-"

Arthur dragged Lilly behind the back of the wagon and kissed her. "Please tell me what I did wrong."

Lilly shoved him off gently so as not to act like his kissing disgusted her, but to have him keep his distance. It certainly didn't disgust her. Hell, that was the only recreational activity she wanted to have for a while. That and having sex with him. But she wanted him to pay attention. "Arthur, what is this tah ya, exactly?"

Arthur's eyes squinted and he looked completely lost. "What?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "When ya say I'm yer woman and that yer "markin' yer territory", what does that mean? Because I'm not just some female Neanderthal ya can hit over the head with a club and drag back tah yer cave." Arthur's silly guffaw was his only response. Lilly glared at him. "Are ya laughin' at me?"

"No, I'm laughin' at what you said." Arthur gave her a gentle smirk. "Lilly, you ain't just some piece of ass to me, although you do have a very nice one."

Lilly smacked his shoulder and giggled. "Bithiúnach." _[Reprobate.]_

Arthur chuckled deeply. "Are you ever gonna tell me what that means?"

"Nope." Lilly gave him a peck on the lips. "And if ya don't like it, tough shite."

"Hmm." Arthur kissed her deeply for a few moments before pulling away. "Then I'm gonna learn Irish."

"Liar."

Arthur held her close and kissed her cheek. "You wanna know how serious I am about you? About us?" He pecked her lips. "Wait here a minute..." Arthur went walking off towards the other wagons and Lilly smiled.

Hosea came from around the wagon and put a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "So, you and Arthur, huh?"

She smiled more brightly. "Yes."

"Well it's about damn time!"

Lilly laughed at him. "Seriously?"

"Dutch and I've been waiting a long time for you both to smarten up."

"Ya were waitin'? And ya never thought tah mention this before?"

Hosea laughed. "When it comes to love, Lilly, it's best if it happens naturally rather than be forced."

"Hey!" Arthur popped up behind her. "Alright, Hosea, let's go."

Lilly looked at Arthur. "Wait, what about-"

Arthur put a finger to her lips and flashed his white teeth. "You'll see when we get to Horseshoe."

* * *

_They group got to the river and_ _Arthur walked next to Lilly to the bank. She set her weapons down, took off her fingerless gloves, and was about to run into the water when she looked at the gauze on her foot. "Oh, I forgot about that."_

_Lilly sat and took it off. Arthur saw her body tense and he frowned. "How's the cut?" Lilly stood up and ran into the water. Huh. Okay then._

_"Hey, after I wash up, could I interest ya gentlemen in an early lunch?" Lilly beamed as she began to scrub her arms._

_Arthur smiled at the other two men. "Are you buyin'?" Arthur yelled at her with an amused tone._

_"If by buyin' ya mean killin,' then yes." Lilly went under the water, then came back up and spit water out of her mouth. "Arthur! Get a wash, ya silly, dirty man!"_

_Arthur shook his head with a laugh. "Alright!" Arthur took his satchel, weapon belt and pants belt off. "Wanna get a fire goin', maybe?" he asked Hosea._

_"Yeah, sure. I could use some coffee anyway."_

_Arthur unbuttoned his shirt as he kicked off his boots. Wearing only his pants, he went wading into the river. "So is that what the knives are for? Huntin'?"_

_"More or less." Lilly had her back to him and took the strap from her ponytail. Her wet auburn hair flowed down and she went back under the water._

_Arthur smiled up at the sky. "More or less, she says." He still wanted to ask her about what happened in the carriage. He could assume exactly what happened. Lilly had an arsenal of knives at her disposal and she was precocious. Obviously she killed those six men, along with the other two that fell out during the chase. When she came back up Arthur got closer. "So...you kill people too, huh?"_

_Lilly turned to face him. "Yes I..." her eyes went wide when she saw him._

_Arthur tilted his head to one side. "What is it?"_

_"Yer...um..."_ _She jerked back around. "Yer...fear taibhseach."_ _[Gorgeous man.]_

_"What?"_

_"Yeah, I...I kill people too."_

_Arthur chuckled. What a girl. He waded closer to her and patted her head. Lilly flinched. "What's wrong, kid?"_

_"Nothin'."_

_Arthur gently turned her around and bent at the waist with his hands on her shoulders. Lilly wouldn't look at him. "_ _Lilly, look at me."_

_Lilly lifted her eyes and glanced at his face. She was blushing. "I...ahem, I should go huntin'."_

_She went underwater and Arthur watched as she swam back to the bank. What the hell was that all about?"_


	10. Play Things

Lilly was still feeling euphoric as the gang trudged on. Euphoric, satisfied...sore. Soreness, however, could not keep Lilly from smiling like a idiot. She was at the very back of the caravan, at least for a while, until Arthur told her to come up for a chat. Lilly trotted up beside him. "Yes, mo chuisle?"

"How are you feelin'?" he asked.

Lilly smiled at him suggestively. "As if ya need to ask."

With a devilish smirk, Arthur twinkled his eyes at her. "Oh, that ain't what I'm askin' about. I was inquirin' after, uh..." he motioned between her legs. "...that."

Lilly smacked his arm playfully. "Bithiúnach."

A low, joyful chuckle erupted from his throat. "I can't decide what I like bein' called more. Macushla or...big hoo nah."

The mispronunciation made Lilly's eyes roll. "Meiriceánaigh." _[Americans.]_

"Now, Lilly, you know how I feel about you talkin' like that."

"Yes, I do," she giggled at him. "Faigheann sé tú ag dul. Nuair a théimid chuig campa, ní stadfaidh mé." _[_ _It gets you going. When we go to camp, I won't stop.]_

Lilly leaned over closer to him. "Mo coinín. Tá sé fliuch duit," Lilly murmured seductively. _[My pussy. It is wet for you.]_

Arthur gaped at her. "You little minx."

"Yes I am. Tiocfaidh mé chugat. Beidh mé ag focáil tú,. Beidh níos mó de dhíth ort. Beidh tú ag impí ar do ghlúine chun ithe mo mhil." _[I will come for you. I will be coming all for you. You will want more. You will beg on your knees to eat my honey.]_

Arthur's mouth went slack as he stared at Lilly. "Lillian..."

"Is mian liom go raibh a fhios agat cad a bhí á rá agam. Is mian liom go bhféadfá labhairt liom i nGaeilge." _[I wish you knew what I was saying. I wish you could speak to me in Irish.]_

"Get us out the stream!" Hosea shouted. Arthur blinked and focused on driving. "You gotta keep us movin', but calm."

Lilly giggled and leaned close to Arthur's ear. "Beidh mise leatsa go deo má fhoghlaimíonn tú mo theanga, mo fhear álainn," she whispered. _[I'll be yours forever if you learn my language, my beautiful man.]_

Lilly saw Arthur's body tremble briefly and the back wheel of the wagon broke off. Lilly started cackling as she trotted away from the wagon. "Hahahaaaa!"

"Ah, shit!" Arthur shouted. "Dammit, Lillian!"

Lilly could barely restrain herself from giggling. "I'm sorry."

"Okay...let's take a look," Hosea said begrudgingly.

"You alright back there?" Bill yelled from the wagon in front of them.

"Does everythin' look alright?" Arthur grumbled loudly as he jumped down.

"Well, what's goin' on?" Javier asked.

"Gaaah! I broke the god damn wheel!"

Lilly dismounted and chuckled as she walked over to them. "Alright, alright, get yer knickers out of a twist, Arthur. I'll help lift the-"

"No, you will not lift the wagon, Lillian! You stay put, you little troublemaker!"

Lilly stopped walking and scoffed. "Fine, fuck you then." She turned and growled as she walked to the stream. "It ain't my fault ya can't think with both yer heads simultaneously!" Lilly bent down to fill her hands with water and scrubbed her face. "Feckin' grumpy arsehole..."

"Don't be like that, Lilly! He was just jokin'!" Hosea shouted.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'm sure he was, the grumpy old fart!"

"I wasn't jokin'!" Arthur belted. "And watch your mouth, woman!"

"Or what?! Yer gonna take me over yer knee and spank me?" She stood and glared at him.

Arthur scowled and lifted the wheel while Hosea and Charles pushed the wagon up. "I just might, you stubborn little shit!"

"Arsehole!"

"Trollop!"

"Dickhead!"

"Bitch!" Arthur yelled while shoving his shoulder into the wagon wheel to secure it back on. "God damn bitch!"

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"Not you! The wheel!"

"Yeah right, ya feckin-" Lilly got interrupted by barking and she jerked around to see two wolves in front of her. A broad smile formed on her face. "Well look who it is! Did ya chiselers follow me all the way from Colter?" They padded up to her and she bent down to stroke their fur. "Haha! I'll be damned!"

"Hey! Are those them bear killers?"

"The very same!" Lilly pulled meat out of her satchel and gave the chunks to the wolves. They gobbled them up and licked her face which made Lilly laugh. "Haha! Ya both are so unusual. Ya..." Lilly looked up at the cliff and saw three men on horses looking down at her and the group. Three Native American men. Lilly got up slowly. "Uh, Athair? Arthur? Charles? We got an audience, me thinks."

Arthur, Charles, and Hosea all looked up at the men on horses. Lilly put a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. It felt as if they were mostly interested in watching her rather than the other members of her group, but why? Because of the wolves? Lilly gazed down at her two friendly companions who didn't seem bothered by the onlookers. Arthur walked over to her. "Looks like you got admirers, darlin'."

"I guess." Lilly waved up at them but they just sat on their horses. "Huh. Not very friendly, are they?"

"Lillian." She glanced at her lover. "I'm sorry for bein' cross."

Lilly smiled warmly and kissed him. "Me too, mo chuisle."

He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her ear. "Are you still sore?"

An intrigued chuckle escaped her lips. "A bit. Why?"

"Sit in the wagon the rest of the way. I got plans for you once we get to camp."

"Oooohhh, do ya now?" Lilly looked up at the cliff. The men were still there, and she smirked at Arthur. "Are ya bein' serious or are you markin' your territory again?"

Arthur laughed. "Both. Is that a problem?"

"No. I don't mind any attention ya give me, Mr. Morgan. Just remember I'm your woman now, you're my man, and we're more than just play things now."

Arthur grasped her butt and kissed her deeply. Lilly wrapped her arms around him. God, he was such a man. Kissing him was so incredibly wonderful. "Mmm, you are my woman, and when we get to camp I'm goin' to make you feel like a woman."

"Hey, let's not push our luck and get goin', you crazy lovebirds!" Hosea snapped humorously.

Arthur smirked and lifted Lilly up by her rump. A high pitched giggle came out of her and she put her legs around him as Arthur strolled over to the wagon. "My goodness, Arthur, such a big, strong man you are!" Lilly teased.

"All the better to carry you you around..." he placed her on the wagon edge, "...and enrapture your tight little muff until you beg me to stop, my dear," he purred into her neck. "And even then, I won't stop."

Lilly felt her cheeks go red and she let out a silly guffaw. "Oh my God, Arthur. You're a fuckin' animal."

"Yeah I am. And I can be whatever animal you want. A gentle one, or..." he bit her neck hard and it made Lilly gasp. "...A savage one." He kissed the spot he bit and stood up straight. "Alright, let's go."

Arthur winked at her, gave a short wave to the men on the cliff, and went to the front. A heated blush was still on her cheeks and Charles grinned at her. "What?" she asked defensively.

"Nothin'," Charles said with a smile and climbed on. "I just like seein' you both happy."

"Oh."

"Poor bastards. We really screwed them over down here," Hosea said.

"What happened?" Arthur asked.

The wagon started going and Lilly's horse and the wolves started following them. Lilly smiled at the animals. Hosea continued on. "So, yes. The Indians in these parts got sold a very raw deal. This is the Heartlands we're goin' to. Good farmin' and grazin' country, they lost it all. Stolen clean away from them, it was. Every blade of grass. Killed or herded up to the reservations in the middle of nowhere."

"And how's that different from anywhere else?" Charles asked.

"Well, maybe it's not. I just heard some of the army out here was particularly, uh...unpleasant about it."

"Unpleasant? How do you rob and kill people pleasantly? We don't, in spite of Dutch's talk."

"I fear I was perhaps trying to simplify somethin' more complicated for the benefit of our blockheaded driver here."

"Athair!" Lilly protested. "Don't ya be insultin' me man! I'm the only one allowed tah do that! Besides, I'm the one that distracted him!"

Hosea laughed. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I won't insult your "macushla" again."

Lilly scowled, got up, and scrambled to the front. "Alright, I've had enough of this malarkey! That term of endearment is not fer popular use among the gang! That term is fer Arthur and me only! So the next feckin' mingin' melter tah say it is gonna have a go with me! And speakin' of havin' a go, which dodgy bloke spied on Arthur and me? Was it Micah or Javier?!"

"It was Micah," Charles said.

Lilly looked at him. "What? How do ya know?"

"I heard him talkin' about it while you and Arthur were...um...gone all night."

Lilly got in Charles' face. "What did he say?" she snarled.

"He said...uh...well..."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Charles, if yer havin' trouble loosenin' that tongue of yers, I will remind ya that I have a list of occupations no woman within a hundred miles could ever come close tah havin'! Which includes torturin' folks tah extract information!"

Arthur guffawed in amusement. "Charles, please do not upset my woman. I've seen her kill men for less."

Hosea and Arthur both laughed. Charles sighed with resignation. "Micah said he had half a mind to shoot Arthur and...take your maidenhood himself."

Lilly's face hardened. "He said what?!" she hissed.

Arthur stopped the wagon. Him and Hosea turned their heads around. "He said what?!" they both snapped.

"Did he say anythin' else, Charles?"

"No! That was it!" Charles sighed. "Lenny and I shut him up."

Lilly smiled and patted Charles' shoulder. "I appreciate that, Charles. Thank you." Lilly leaped off the wagon and went towards her mount.

"Hey, where are you goin'!?" Arthur asked loudly.

"Athair, where is Horseshoe Overlook?"

"Lillian!" Arthur jumped down from the wagon and went after her. "Lilly, don't you be doin' anythin' drastic!"

"I'm not bein' drastic! I only have half a mind tah shoot Micah and take his manhood and shove it down his throat!"

Arthur laughed and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Yes, I bet you do, but you can't just go and kill him."

"Why not?!"

"Because, darlin', we got rules, remember?"

Lilly huffed. This was utter bullshit, but she knew the rules. "Yes. But-"

"If you killed every person who offended you, the human race would've died out a long time ago."

A small snort and a laugh came out of her. "I know, but..." she turned around and stared at him. "But ain't you mad?"

"I am just as furious as you, darlin', but if you kill Micah, then you'll have to kill a lot of the other men in camp."

"What do you mean?"

Arthur pecked the tip of her nose. "You really think Micah's the only one who wants you all to himself?"

* * *

_It was night time when 36-year-old Arthur and 21-year-old Lilly came back to camp from another skinny dipping escapade. Arthur was in his summer gunslinger outfit, Lilly in hers save for a black shirt instead of blue, when he pulled Lilly to a tree and chuckled while playing with locks of her wet auburn hair. "One of these days, Lilly, I will get you to break."_

_Lilly giggled and pushed her body against his. "Not if I break you first."_

_A small wheeze of a laugh fled Arthur's mouth. "Can I ask you somethin'?"_

_"Color me intrigued, Arthur. What is your question?"_

_Arthur peeked around the tree. Most the boys were drunk and laughing while sitting around the fire. Arthur looked into her eyes with a mischevious grin. "I know you flirt with the others sometimes, but...is it like this with them?"_

_Lilly shook her head. "No." Lilly leaned in more with her mouth close to his. "You're the only one brave enough to get this close to me."_

_This made Arthur's heart pump faster. He smiled and pinned her arms up above her head. "And if I dared to get closer? What would you do?"_

_"Define closer, Arthur." Lilly snapped her teeth with a seductive smile and a sharp, lustful intake of breath._

_Arthur felt his mouth start to water. "If I were to..." he put his mouth to her ear and let a hand trail down her side. "...take you into the woods and decide to have my way with you?"_

_"Then why don't you?" she teased into his ear._

_"I don't have permission to fuck you into oblivion, O'Callaghan. Not yet." Arthur felt her body shudder against him. Oh, he had Lilly by the neck now, figuratively speaking. And Arthur really wanted her to give him permission. What started out as a way for him to release tension from the sexual frustrations she caused from her ruthless flirting was now an addiction that needed something more to be sated. He was getting tired of restraining himself. "Just say the word, Lillian, and I..." he started unbuttoning her shirt. "...will_ _drag your ass out there and make you a woman."_

_Lilly chuckled and caressed his face with her palm. "Is that what you want, Arthur? To make me a woman?"_

_"You tell me."_

_"Well, how about you," Lilly played with his waistband. "Tell me what you'd do to me first and then I'll make a decision. In fact, take me into the woods right now and show me."_

_God, Lilly was such an evil little temptress. He grabbed her hand and went running into the forest with her. After finding a clear spot Arthur laid Lilly down on her back and settled over her. "So, where to begin, Miss O'Callaghan..."_

_"No, no, I think I should be on top."_

_"Oh, do you now?"_

_"I don't want to be talked down to," Lilly smirked._

_Arthur burst into laughter and rolled her over on top of him. "Ah, Christ. You and your puns."_

_A giggle made her body jerk a bit and she took in a deep breath. "Yes, me and my puns."_

_Arthur shook his head then looked up. "Huh. Full moon is comin' out again." He gazed back at her and his heart skipped a beat. The look Lilly was giving him was tender. Loving, even. "What?" he asked._

_Lilly, with the softest of smiles, only said, "you really are a beautiful man, Arthur."_

_"Ooohh, is this a new tactic?"_

_"No. This ain't flirtin'."_

_Arthur's expression went soft and he pushed her hair over to one side before resting on his elbows. "Lillian..."_

_She bent down close to his face. "Yes, Arthur?"_

_His heart started racing again as he made eye contact with Lilly. She was looking at him differently. Not with mischief, but with...need. The tension between them relaxed into a sort of tender passion and he pulled her down as he laid back. Yep. He had to kiss her now. Arthur smiled at her and just when the distance between their mouths closed to a hair's breath, they were interrupted._

_"What are you two doin'?" he heard Bill ask._

_Lilly sat straight up and Arthur groaned. Oh for fuck's sake. "Flirtin'," Lilly giggled. "I take it interruptin' us was important?"_

_"Damn, how many men do you flirt with?" Micah asked._

_Arthur looked over and saw Bill, Micah, Javier, Davey, and Mac. "What the hell, boys? Why are you all out here?"_

_"We need to discuss somethin' with you, Arthur," Mac said._

_Lilly smiled at them. "Oh? And what are you discussin' with my dear Arthur?"_

_"Your dear Arthur? Jesus, you flirt with Arthur and everyone else but he's dear to you?"_

_Lilly rolled her eyes. "As ucht Dé, you know me flirtin' is just a damn game to me. Y'all don't take it seriously, do you?"_

_"Lilly, don't be so mean," Arthur teased affectionately. "I'm pretty sure some of 'em thought you was serious."_

_Lilly looked down at Arthur and cocked her head to one side. "Alright, well, if that's the case, then you all should know that out of all my prey, Arthur is my first, my favorite, and boldest one. None of you boys dared to get this close, so I suggest you up your game," she looked at the men. "But I'm sure Arthur will still one up all of you. Who knows? I might just give him permission to..." Lilly smirked at Arthur. "What was it you said?"_

_Arthur grinned. "Fuck you into oblivion?"_

_Lilly snapped her fingers. "That's the one." She stood and reached a hand down to Arthur. He gladly took it and Lilly pulled him to his feet. "I'm retirin' to my tent." The Irish girl put her lips to Arthur's cheek and kissed it. "Out of all of them, I'd much rather you fuck me into oblivion," she whispered softly. "I doubt they could anyway, and uh...you are, after all, a very beautiful man, so..." Lilly backed up and pretty much made an announcement as she addressed Arthur, and cleay only Arthur. "If you're up for it, meet me in my tent in twenty minutes? We could finally do it tonight."_

_Arthur's breath hitched. "Oooohhh, you naughty little vixen," he chortled with glee. "I may or may not. You'll just have to see."_

_Lilly grinned at him. "Oof, still playin' so hard to get. Well," she turned her head back to the men, as did Arthur. "Good night gentlemen. Arthur."_

_As Lilly was about to walk away, Arthur slapped her ass and she yelped happily. Arthur laughed and made a deep, joyful grunt as he watched Lilly walk away. He pulled out his cigarettes and lit one. "So," he inhaled smoke, then exhaled. "What did you fellers wanna talk about?"_

_"That!" they all said simultaneously._

_"Hmm. That so? Why?"_

_"How the hell did you get in so good with her, cowpoke?" Micah demanded._

_"I don't know, Micah. Maybe because I'm not an asshole."_

_"Okay, but what about the rest of us?" Javier asked._

_"Hmm." Arthur inhaled once more. "Do you all feel like Lilly owes you somethin' because she was flirtin' with you? Because I sure as hell don't. Whichever one she chooses, if she even chooses one, I will respect her decision." Respect, yes, but he sure as hell would not like it. Unless it was himself, of course. If Lilly chose him, Arthur would be the luckiest man alive._

_"You only say that because you're closer to the finish line than we are."_

_Arthur laughed and shook his head. "That's besides the point, fellers. See," he took a few steps towards them all and took a puff of the cigarette. "This is a game to her and you boys are takin' it way too seriously. So go ahead, see how far you can get with her, but I guarantee you'll fuck it up somehow and piss her off because of this mentality you have."_

_"And how do you know that?" Bill asked bitterly._

_"Because I know Lilly. I've known her since she was seven. I know how she thinks, how she works, and which buttons to push and avoid. And if any of you try to push her into somethin' she don't want, Lilly might just kill you."_

_"Ha, we'll see about that," Micah laughed and walked off._

_Arthur walked with the rest of the men after Micah as he took another drag. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"I mean I'm goin' to her tent."_

_Arthur cackled loudly. "Yeah, good luck!"_

_The boys, besides Micah, went back over to the fire and sat. They watched as Micah approached Lilly's tent. Sean laughed. "What the hell is he doin'?"_

_Arthur took one last drag from his cigarette then grabbed a beer from the box by the log he was on and opened it. "He's tryin' his luck at seducin' Lilly."_

_"And you're okay with this?"_

_As he tasted the beer, Arthur nodded. "Mmhmm." He swallowed and made a manly 'ahh'. "This is some good beer. Well, why wouldn't I be okay with it, Sean?"_

_"FER FUCK'S SAKE, MICAH, GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME TENT!" Arthur heard Lilly shout and he began to cackle._

_"Ha! Told ya!" Arthur took another drink. Micah came sulking back to the fire and sat. He was fuming. "So, how did it go?" Arthur asked with a smirk._

_"Shut up, Arthur," was Micah's only response._

_"Welp," Javier got up. "My turn."_

_Arthur watched Javier go and he chuckled deeply. "This is funnier than hell." One by one, Arthur watched as Javier, Bill, Davey, and Mac all got turned down, and each one of them came back to the fire looking dejected. "I told you."_

_He took another swig of beer as Sean giggled himself into a fit. "What abour you, Arthur? Ain't you gonna give it a go?"_

_"Maybe. I already got an invitation."_

_Sean went into another burst of hysterics. "That doesn't surprise me."_

_Arthur cackled with glee then looked at Charles, Pearson, and Lenny. "Ain't you gonna try your luck?"_

_"No thank you," Mr. Pearson said. "Too young."_

_"She'll reject me for sure," Lenny laughed._

_"Nope. I know when I'm beat," Charles sighed._

_Arthur and Sean nudged each other and laughed. "Arthuuuuuur..." Lilly called from her tent. "Can I talk to ya please?"_

_"But I'm havin' a beer!" Arthur yelled teasingly._

_He saw Lilly storm out of her tent towards all of them. With an annoyed look on her face and her arms crossed, she addressed Arthur. "Then chug it and get into my tent."_

_Arthur shook his head. "I know you invited me, sweetheart, but that don't mean I'm gonna accept the offer," he teased._

_A devil of a smile came on Lilly's face. "Oh, is that so? Well, perhaps I should give one of these fine gentlemen another chance and-"_

_Oh hell no._ _Arthur shot up. "Don't you be jokin' like that, woman!" He chugged his beer, tossed the bottle, and smiled at her. "Lead the way."_

_Lilly was still smiling with the devil in it. "No, I don't think I will._ _Yer gonna have to earn it back now."_

_Arthur's eyes squinted in irritation. "Oh am I?"_

_"Uh huh."_

_Arthur ambled over to her with a dirty smirk. "I call bullshit, O'Callaghan."_

_"I don't care what you call it, Morgan. I'm-"_

_Arthur picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. Lilly giggled. "Nope. Bullshit. Now I'm gonna have to lead the way." Arthur strolled over to her tent while Lilly cackled in amusement. They got inside and Arthur put her down. "Now...what did you want to talk about?"_

_"Spend the night with me please."_

_Arthur giggled nervously. "What? Why?"_

_"So people will stop tryin' tah come into me tent! I'm god damn tired!"_

_Arthur smiled warmly at her. "Oh. You need a snuggle buddy, huh?"_

_"Ya don't hafta snuggle me, ya bastard! I'm only-"_

_Arthur lifted Lilly up and cradled her in his arms. "So you don't want me sleepin' with you tonight?"_

_"Not if yer gonna make me feel like I'm bein' a child about it!"_

_Arthur chortled and put her down on the cot. "Oh, does the poor widdle baby need her guardian tonight?"_

_"Ya havena been me guardian fer years!"_

_Arthur kneeled over her torso and smirked. "I think I know what you need, poor widdle baby girl."_

_Lilly glared up at him in defiance. "What it is?" Arthur sighed happily then he started tickling her. Lilly began to squirm and giggle like an idiot. "No! No stop it! Arthur, aha! Hahahahaaaa!"_

* * *

Lilly raised an eyebrow at Arthur. "Well, that explains a lot," she huffed. "God dammit," she whined.

Arthur laughed at her and pressed his forehead to hers. "I got an idea, though."

"Hmm? What's that?"

"Instead of killin' Micah, let's just rub it in his face."

"Hmmm." It was an interesting idea. "Color me intrigued, Mr. Morgan. Give me the details."

"Get back on the wagon and I will tell you what I got in mind."


	11. A Small Piece

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

"You weren't wrong, Hosea! This place is perfect!" Dutch shouted as Hosea and the rest drove into camp.

"I hope so," Hosea replied as he climbed down from the wagon.

Lilly jumped down and took a gander around. "Huh, this is pretty nice."

"Gentlemen, we have survived," Dutch said.

"For now," Hosea spurted out glumly as he headed over to the table Dutch was at.

"Now it is time to prosper!"

"Arthur and I were about to prosper in Blackwater. We were on to somethin' big, then Micah got you all excited about that ferry and here we are!"

As Lilly strolled over to the table, she removed her jacket and looked around for Micah. Where was that degenerate pig tit sucklin' piece of shite ball bag? As she scanned the area, Lilly saw her tent. Wait, was it bigger than before? And why was it so far away from the rest of the camp?

Dutch sighed in slight annoyance at Hosea. "We have all made mistakes over the years, Hosea." Dutch stood up. "Every last one of us. But I kept us together, kept us alive, kept the nooses of our neck," Dutch said a gradual rise of irritation in his voice. He turned and walked away but Hosea followed, as did Arthur and Lilly.

Hosea put on a hand on Dutch's shoulder. "I guess I'm just worried. I ain't got that long, Dutch. I want folks safe before I go."

Dutch stopped walking and stayed in front of Hosea. "Me too."

"And now we are stuck. East of the Grizzlies and out of money, and a long way from our dream of virgin land in the West."

"I know, my brother, but we are safe! We make a bit of money here, then we move again, head out around them, be west of Uncle Sam, in a few months buy some land!"

"I hope so," Hosea said while not sounding entirely convinced.

Dutch scoffed and walled backwards with his arms outstretched. "Would you just look around you." Dutch turned and walked. "This world has its consolations."

Lilly took a few steps forward. As she crossed her arms over her stomach, she smiled. It really was beautiful here.

"Gentlemen. I'm going to head into the local town and, you know...see if I can strike up some business," Lilly heard Herr Strauss say.

"By business, do ya mean takin' advantage of the poor and desolate?" Lilly asked angrily. She really didn't like the man. He was a loan shark. Lilly _hated_ loan sharks.

"Lillian..." Dutch sighed. "Of course, Herr Strauss." After a few moments, Dutch sighed again. "Lilly, I know how you feel about that sort of thing, and I agree. I prefer bank robbery to usury, seems mpre dignified somehow."

"So why the hell do we keep him with us?"

"Well, he does bring in money."

"Speakin' of lowlifes, where is Micah? I have a few words tah exchange with that bastard."

"I sent him out scoutin' with Lenny. Heh. He's the one who spied on you two, hmm?"

"Yes. Well, the struttin' of peacock feathers will have tah wait then, Arthur."

Dutch and Hosea laughed. "What?" Dutch asked.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Just a thing we talked about earlier because Micah said-"

Lilly gazed out at the world before her. "It's not that bad of a view, ya know. It kinda reminds me of..." Lilly stopped herself to phrase her words properly. "Well, it's not as green as Ireland, but it'll do."

"Ireland looks like this?" Hosea asked.

"Somewhat. We had mountains and rivers just as well as America does. We had valleys and plains and..." Lilly took a few more steps forward. "...hills. Only thing Ireland has that America doesn't is castles. Castles and fairy mounds."

"Castles?" Dutch asked. "Fairy mounds?"

"Yes. There was a castle not that far from Bothar Nua. Achrann Castle. Beautiful place. The Nolans lived there."

"Wait, there are people in Ireland still livin' in castles?"

"Yep. The Nolans were...hmm, Sir Liam was the Earl of Galway. God, I remember explorin' every nook and cranny of that castle."

"Wait, you knew an Earl? How?"

"Me father and Sir Liam were childhood friends. And..." Lilly stopped herself. The topic of her biological family was a painful one. The three men behind her didn't even know how they died, save for Brian. She bowed her head and messed around with her fingertips. "Yes, Father was...friends with the Nolans."

Lilly felt hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, kid," Hosea said.

"For what? It's not yer fault they're dead."

"I know. I just feel bad because it's a really hard topic for you."

Lilly nodded and felt tears well up. Oh for fuck's sake. "I...I need to go lay down, I think. I'm very tired." Lilly marched in the direction of her tent.

"Lilly! Wait!" Arthur shouted. "Shit!"

She opened the flaps of her tent and froze. "What the fuck?" The tent was bigger. The bed was bigger with two pillows instead of one. There were two nightstands instead of one, and there were two blankets now. Lilly's clothes were hung up on one side of the tent but Arthur's was on the other side. Her chest was in there, but so was Arthur's. What the hell? Lilly turned her head and saw Arthur's shaving contraption just outside the tent. She turned and spotted Miss Grimshaw. "Miss Grimshaw, what have ya done with me tent?!" Lilly shouted so Susan could hear her. "Why is me bed bigger and...and..." Lilly stopped and glanced at Arthur with suspicion. He was walking to her slowly. "Arthur, is this yer doin'?"

Arthur grinned with a nod. "Mmhmm."

"Well...wait, where's yer ammo cart?"

Arthur pointed to his left and she looked. It was in a different location but it didn't look like his anymore. In fact, Charles was now sitting on the cot of it. Her eyes shifted back to Arthur who was now in front of her. "I uh," he cleared his throat. "I thought it would benefit us both if we combined livin' spaces."

Lilly's brow crinkled. She was shocked. "Ya...ya moved in? Why?"

"I told you. I'm quite serious about you and me. Charles is in charge of the ammo now."

"But...ya..." Lilly wasn't sure what to say. While the Irish woman felt she should be mad about Arthur being that presumptuous about invading her bedroom, Lilly realized she was feeling the exact opposite. Moved and awed by his gesture and his devotion to their relationship.

"Look, I know I should've asked you first but I wanted to surprise you. If you don't like it, I'll change it back. Might take me a bit, but-"

"No no. It's fine. I..." Lilly smiled gently at him then went back to fiddling with her nails with her head bowed. "I love it, Arthur."

He lifted her chin and looked at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just...I guess I'm just tired."

Arthur rubbed her arms and smirked at her. "I suppose I did wear you out."

Lilly chuckled. "Yeah, ya bithiúnach. But aren't you tired?"

"Naw. I'm a man. Men don't get tired," he said sarcastically.

Lilly shoved his shoulder. "Yer an eejit."

Arthur cackled in response and gave her a light kiss. "Go and take a nap. Do you, uh...do you want your tea?"

"The chamomile? Yes, thank you."

Arthur stroked her hair. "Do you need me to stay?"

"No, I'll be fine." Lilly kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

She turned and went into the tent. Lilly sat down on the bed and looked around. There wasn't much for furniture other than the bed, but Arthur and her would probably fix that. So...her and Arthur. Living together. Well, technically they had for most of her life, but they were sharing a bed now. It didn't seem too fast at all, really. They knew each other inside and out. Well, she knew him inside and out. Arthur, like Da and Athair, knew her present but not her past. Well, if her and Arthur were going to be together, maybe it was time for Lilly to open up to him a little. Lilly tossed her hat and coat. She kicked her boots off and ran her fingers through her hair. Arthur came in.

"The tea's gonna be a bit, so-"

"I saw them die, Arthur..."

Arthur gave her a blank stare. "What?"

Lilly bowed her head and stared at the ground. "My family. I saw them die." Seconds went by and Arthur didn't say anything. "Look, I...I know I said you'd never know certain things about me. But...we're together now and I...I know everythin' about you, but ya don't know my past. Seems unfair."

Arthur knelt down in front of her and held her hands. "Alright. Tell me."

Lilly looked at his face. "Did ya ever hear about the Emerald Star? The ship that sank in the Atlantic back in 1882?"

"Yeah, I did. That was a big story. It was comin' to New York all the way from..." Arthur paused as his face showed his realization. "...Oh."

Lilly nodded. Tears threatened her once again. "I, uh...we were emigratin', and...uh..." she sniffled. "The god damn thing, it...somethin' exploded and it kept explodin'...

* * *

_5-year-old Lilly was being carried by her big brother. Her mother was carrying little James, the baby. Her father was carrying little Janet, the 3-year-old. They were running along the deck of the Emerald Star within a panicked crowd. Explosions rocked the boat around and threatened to make people fall down. Lilly looked around and saw chaos that her young mind couldn't comprehend._

_"_ _Deartháir mór, what's going on?" she asked._ _[Big brother]_

_"The ship is sinking, deirfiúr beag. [little sister] We're going to get on lifeboats," Brian explained. "Are ya scared, Lilly?"_

_"A little."_

_Lilly turned her head around as Brian got knocked about. Her mother was hindered as well but she managed to keep James in her arms. Lilly's father and Janet got through the crowd but he stopped when he realized his family wasn't with him._ _"_

_Abigail! Brian! Lilly! Where are ya!?" he shouted as people knocked into him. But he was a sturdy man and could take the weight. "Abby!"_

_Abby raised her hand. "Jack! We're here!"_

_Lilly saw her father and waved. "Father! Over here!" Another explosion rocked the boat and Lilly saw a smoke stack dislodge from above. It creaked as it started to fall. "Daddy, look out!" But it was too late. As Jack acknowledged the impending doom, he got knocked down. Lilly cried out for him. "DADDY!"_

_Jack huddled over little Janet and the smoke stack fell on them. Lilly screamed at the top of her lungs as did Abigail. Brian grabbed his mother and held her. "Mother," he sobbed. "We have to go. Now!"_

_Brian was always so brave. Quick on his feet, sharp as a tack, and just like his father, he knew when to take charge. He directed his mother around the fallen stack. As the went around Lilly looked back and saw her sister's bloody leg. She started crying again. Lilly could hear her baby brother crying too. Her mother was crying. Even Brian was crying, but when he saw her looking he wiped his face. Lilly hugged him._

_"I'm scared, Brian. I wanna go home."_

_"Well, Lilly, we got a new home in America waitin' for us. You'll be snug as a bug in a rug before ya know it. Now let's-"_ _Another_ _explosion shook the ground beneath them. The deck cracked open and Abigail fell through but quickly grabbed a piece of metal with one hand. She still had a hold of the baby. Brian put Lilly down and reached for his mother. "Mum, I can't...Lilly, come help me get James!"_

_Lilly scurried over and snuggled next to Brian. He lowered her down and Abigail kissed her cherk. "Come on, Lilly, you can do it. I know you can."_

_Lilly got ahold of James. "Mummy, I got him! Brian! Pull me up and get Mum!"_

_Brian did just that and set her down. He reached for his mother and grabbed one of her hands. "There! Other hand now, come on!"_

_Abigail let go of the metal pole she was hanging onto and grasped Brian's other hand. Lilly sighed in relief and rocked her crying brother. "It's alright, ya wee bairn. It's alright."_

_The deck cracked more and Brian groaned loudly as he tried to pull his mother up. "Mum! Use your feet to climb!"_

_Abigail tried to ground her feet on something but she couldn't find anything. Lilly started shouting at the crowd as Brian kept trying to pull his mother up. "Hey! Someone come help me brother! Please!" No one paid attention. They were all too busy running to free life boats. "Hey! My mother is down there! Someone help!"_

_One man did stop. He had a young boy with him, presumably his son. He and the boy ran over and tried to help Brian with Abigail, but the deck cracked and Brian lost his grip on her. "Mum!"_

_Lilly screamed as she watch her mother's body fall and hit things like ragdoll until eventually landing on something hard. Lilly could see the blood forming under her mother and she cried again. "Mummy..." Lilly sobbed._

_The man and his son helped the grieving Brian up and he sighed. "I'm sorry, boy. So sorry, but you and your sister need to get outta here. Come on!"_

_The man ran with everyone along the deck. Lilly heard another explosion but it was on the other side of the ship. They finally found a free lifeboat and they all got on. "Sir, only women and children!"_

_The Irish man grabbed the boat man by the collar. "If ya think fer one bloomin' second I'm gonna leave me son alone in the world, ya better git yer noggin checked, boy!" The man backed off and the big Irish man got in the boat. "Now let's go!"_

* * *

Lilly's hands trembled throughout the whole story and she couldn't bear to look at Arthur. "We got picked up by another ship. I can't remember the name, but then we got to New York and...Brian and James and I, we had nothin'. James died later from pneumonia, though...he was the only one I didn't see die."

"...What do you mean?"

Lilly laughed sadly as tears fell from her eyes. "...Brian was beaten within an inch of his life and shot in the head. Steven and Travis made me watch." Lilly covered her face and sobbed. "I'm sorry, but I can't say anymore just now." She hated crying but Lilly couldn't stop the tears from coming.

Arthur held her tightly in his arms. "Lilly, I...don't know what to say."

"There's nothin' to say about it, mo chuisle."

"Arthur? Lilly?" Miss Grimshaw said outside the tent. "I have your tea, Lilly. Steeped for ten minutes with a spoonful of honey, as per usual."

"Don't let her see me like this, Arthur," Lilly whispered.

Arthur kissed the top of her head. "I won't." He got up and squeezed himself out of the flaps. "Ah, Miss Grimshaw. Thank you very much."

"My pleasure, Mr. Morgan. Is she okay?"

"Well, ahh," Lilly heard him grunt. "Not really. I'm gonna be retirin' with Lilly for the rest of the day. Would you let Dutch and Hosea know, please?"

"Of course, Mr. Morgan."

"Thanks."

Arthur came back in with Lilly's tea. He sat down next to her and Lilly took the cup from him. She stared into the liquid. "You don't have to do that, you know..."

"I know, but I want to."

"I...I don't know why I suddenly told you all that. I hope it wasn't too much."

Arthur sighed. "Not at all, Lilly."

Lilly blew on her cup and took a small sip. "Mmm, good stuff. Glad it got saved from Blackwater." Lilly looked around at the tent interior. "So, uh...ya got plans for decoratin'?"

"I dunno. I ain't one for decoratin' but I suppose it would be nice to have furniture in here."

Lilly took another sip. "We're gonna be needin' food. The camp, I mean."

"Charles is already out huntin'."

"Hmm."

"I did notice the wolves followed us here but they didn't come into camp."

"I don't think they're that brave yet. Bein' around people, I mean."

Arthur slipped off his winter coat and tossed it. "Ah, well, hopefully people won't have a problem with them."

"I'd hope not. They helped me take down a bear."

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "You had so much blood on you I was scared it was yours, but there you were, standing triumphantly over the slain bear like a...like some ancient warrior."

A small giggle escaped Lilly's throat. "Oh hush. I got lucky."

"Oh really? What kind of lucky person talks shit to a fuckin' grizzly bear?"

"The kind who gets cornered by a fuckin' grizzly bear."

Arthur cackled. "What kind of shit were you talkin' anyway?"

Lilly smiled at him then took a drink of her tea. "Threatened to skin him alive, told him if he wanted to kill me he'd have to work for it, goaded to go after me twice because I didn't have all day, called him a big dumb twat, a fuck, a smelly bastard, and a snivelin' milksop. I did manage to stab his paw before the wolves came, though." Lilly took another drink.

Arthur laughed in amazement. "Lilly O'Callaghan. Bear killer."

Lilly smirked. "Flattery is beneath you."

"It ain't flattery if it's true."

Lilly finished off the rest of her tea. "Mmm. Good tea." Lilly already felt very drowsy. "Sometimes I wonder if you guys put somethin' in..." Lily dropped the cup and everything went dark.

* * *

Arthur caught Lilly as she went down. He picked her up and laid her down properly in the bed. God, he always felt horrible when sedating her but it was for the best. Her night terrors were awful. She hadn't had one since she was a teenager but Arthur was not going to risk Lilly breaking the streak. Any mention of her family or other things from her past almost always triggered one. What Lilly told him was so heartbreaking. Seeing almost her whole family die...Arthur saw his father die. It was not a pleasant memory. And for those bastards to make her watch Brian get beat up and shot, no wonder Lilly wanted to kill them so much. Some things from her childhood made sense now. Not all of it, but enough for Arthur to love her even more. Lilly was such a strong individual. She'd been through so much strife and pain at such a young age that it broke her and forged her anew and Arthur loved her for it.

Arthur loved her as his charge, then as his mentee, then he fell in love with a 17-year-old Lilly and it made him feel like a dirty old man, but the Irish lass was just so enchanting. Arthur hung up their jackets, picked up the cup, and put it on the nightstand before covering himself and Lilly up with blankets. He shoved his shoes off and spooned with her. Arthur kissed her neck.

"I love you, Lilly," he whispered.

* * *

_Sean and_ _32-year-old Arthur were returning from a somewhat fancy deal in the local town when they were ambushed by O'Driscoll's in Wyoming._ _It was daytime. They were between a rock and a hard place, both literally and figuratively. They had a boulder on a cliff for cover but no clear exit. Arthur felt ridiculous shooting at people in a damn black suit and pomade in his short light brown hair. He felt like a nancy. Sean was in a gray suit also with pomade in his hair. No hats. Nonetheless, it was two against twenty six men, maybe more. It was a lot of god damn O'Driscolls. Arthur had exquisite aim but they were all too far for him to get clear shots. He and Sean only had their six shooters whereas their enemies had rifles and repeaters._

_"We really shoulda grabbed our other guns, Arthur," Sean stated._

_"No shit!" Arthur snapped._

_Sean peeked over. "I don't think we got long before they get closer."_

_"Well, then I can shoot them better."_

_Sean was still peeking but then his signature giggle erupted from his mouth. "Well well, here comes the cavalry."_

_"What?" Arthur dared a glance over the boulder and saw Lilly riding in on Holly with her bow. "Huh, Lilly to the rescue," Arthur chortled with amusement. "Well, hopefully she won't get shot."_

_A bullet hit the boulder and the boys sunk down. Sean laughed. "Oh, she'll be fine. Lilly's a hard lass to kill."_

_"Haha, no kiddin'." Arthur looked from behind the boulder with just one and saw Lilly shooting down men three at a time. "I will never understand how she manages that move."_

_"The three arrow one?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Girl's got skills."_

_"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!" They both heard Lilly's voice boom._

_Sean and Arthur laughed as they sat next to each other. "Oh shit, they're in fer it now," Sean giggled._

_"YA STUPID O'DRISCOLL TWATS! STOP SHOOTIN' AT ME AND LISTEN!"_

_All shooting ceased and the men leaned around to see what was going on. Lilly was surrounded by eighteen men now. Various others lay across the field with arrows in their chests. "What is she doin'?" Arthur asked with concern._

_"Hmm. I think she's goin' to challenge 'em to a melee fight."_

_"ALL of 'em? But there's eighteen men!"_

_"Huh. You've never seen her in a fight?"_

_"In saloons, sure, but this?" Arthur hissed. "She's gonna get herself killed!"_

_Sean laughed loudly. "Unlikely. Just watch, Englishman. Yer in fer a bloody treat!"_

_Sean and Arthur both looked over as Lilly set down her weapons and got into some sort of...was she about to box with one of them? Arthur saw the man swing at her but she ducked, then shot back up and jabbed him in the face. The fight continued and Lilly was winning for sure. She used punches and kicks to attack her opponent who was clearly on the defensive._

_"I didn't know she could do that," Arthur whispered. He was impressed to say the least. She was so graceful with her movements and there was something about her now that Arthur never noticed before. The way her braid flew along as she fought, the way her hips moved, how wonderful her ass looked. Wait, what? Why would he think that?_

_"Oh fer fuck's sake. Lilly!" Sean shouted. "Quit playin' with the bastard and take him out already!"_

_The man looked behind him up at the cliff, but when he focused back on the girl Lilly did something Arthur couldn't see but the man immediately slumped to the ground. Lilly waved up at Sean._

_"Hello, deartháir! I didn't know ya wanted a show!"_ _[brother]_

_"Please! Arthur's here too and he ain't never seen ya fight! Well, not like this!"_

_"Oh! Hi Arthur!" The O'Driscolls went to charge her. "HOLD YER GOD DAMN HORSES!" she shouted. "I'M HAVIN' A DISCUSSION!"_

_Arthur wheezed out a laugh. The kid was hilarious. "God, the man that marries her better be god damn deaf or a god damn dragon if she shouts at him like that!"_

_Sean squinted his eyes at Arthur. "Wait, what man?"_

_"Oh, nobody. I don't think she got her sights on anyone right now, but in the future, well..."_

_Sean giggled into a fit. "Oh boyo, both of yas got no clue!"_

_"What are you talkin' about?"_

_"Deartháir! Arthur! Do ya two want a show er not!?"_ _Lilly shouted._

_"Yes deirfiúr, please!" [sister] Sean cackled in delight. "Oh, yer gonna love it, Arthur."_

_Arthur shook his head in amusement. He watched Lilly address all the O'Driscolls. "Well!" she shouted so her two friends could hear her. "Since yer first buddy was an easy one, how about ya all take me on? Charge me all at once and see how well ya do!"_

_Arthur's face went pale. "Is she serious?! Lilly!"_

_Sean patted his shoulder. "She is gonna be fine, trust me."_

_Lilly stood in the middle with her fighting stance. Arthur put a palm to his nose and mouth. He trusted them both but he was still on edge. However, his doubts quickly disappeared when the men ran at her and...Lilly was taking them down one at a time. What in the hell? With kicks and punches, jabs and roundhouse kicks, and even a sweep to a man's legs, she made short work of her mission. She even managed to break a man's neck by jerking his head around. The last few men pulled out knives. Arthur became more confident as he watched. Knives were Lilly's specialty. They went at it but Lilly dodged and ducked. Arthur distinctly heard her laughing with glee. Arthur rested his chin in his palm as he laud on his belly. He was thoroughly enjoying this, and an entertained grin formed on his face. He was entertained, but he was also transfixed and captivated by her. It was like watching some powerful warrior from way before their time._

_"Amazin'," Arthur laughed in delight. "Absolutely amazin'. Why haven't I seen her do this before?" Arthur asked._

_"Oh, you know how private she is about her past," Sean replied while adjusting his suit jacket. "She learned all this in Saint Denis."_

_Arthur's head snapped towards Sean. "Wait, she told you about that? About her past?"_

_Sean paused for a moment. Arthur swore he saw a glimmer in Sean's eyes that meant, "oh shit", but it dissipated just as fast. "Well, where else would she learn it? Certainly not in Ireland. Probably not in New York, but Saint Denis? Lots of weird shit to learn there, and since you never knew about it, well...it's all elementary, my dear Englishman," Sean giggled._

_Arthur stared at him suspiciously. "I see..." Arthur said, not entirely convinced._

_He went back to studying Lilly who was down to one man. He noticed her shoulder was bleeding. Or was that someone elses blood? And then it was all over as Lilly knocked the man to his knee by kicking the side of his other knee. Lilly stabbed the side of his neck and pulled it out as she backed away. The man covered his wound but fell on his chest. Lilly sheathed her knives and waved at Sean and Arthur but then she grabbed her shoulder. "Ack, balls!" she shouted. "That shite stings!"_

_"Huh. Well, she did take on a lot of men," Sean said with a sigh. "Well, let's loot and get her home."_ _Arthur and Sean made their way down from the cliff and walked to Lilly. "Jesus, girl, are ya gettin' sloppy in yer old age?" Sean laughed._

_"Ha ha fuckin' ha, Sean," Lilly snarled playfully. "I didn't see you try and take on eighteen men on yer own."_

_"Fair point, sister. Now, let's loot."_

_Lilly grinned and looked at Arthur. She tilted her head to one side. "Well, both of yas look smart today, but you Arthur...well," she giggled. "Such a handsome fellow."_

_Arthur smirked almost bashfully. "Shut up." They all called for their horses and they went riding off after all the looting of corpses was done. Arthur noticed Lilly's shoulder was bothering her as they rode on but as they were passing a lake he decided to speak up. "Hey, you okay?"_

_"I'll be fine when we get back to camp."_

_Arthur made them both stop. "Nope. Come on, let's see that shoulder." Lilly sighed and got off her horse. They walked to the shore in the forest and Lilly plopped down on a log, then she started unbuttoning the top of her shirt a little before exposing the slice in her shoulder. "Huh. Not too shabby, kid. You'll just have another scar." Arthur looked at her other shoulder. She had blood there too and he pulled the shirt down over that shoulder. She had a small slash there as well. It wasn't so bad, though. "Jesus, Lilly. You're lucky you weren't hacked to..."_

_Arthur's eyes drifted to her chest. Lilly was holding her shirt up but the top of her breasts were showing. Lilly's forearm pressing to her bosom made her cleavage hard not to look at. Oh shit. Arthur cleared his throat and grabbed medical supplies from his satchel._

_"Is somethin' wrong, Arthur?" Lilly asked._

_"No. Just...uh...I'll clean you up."_

_"Deirfiúr? Bhí an fear Sasanach ag stánadh ar do bhrollach," Sean said._ _[Sister? The Englishman was staring at your chest.]_

_"Thug mé faoi deara," Lilly replied. "Ní dhearna sé é sin riamh roimhe. Feiceann an Sasanach mé anois mar bhean."_ _[I noticed. He never did that before. The Englishman now sees me as a woman.]_

_Arthur huffed. He hated it when those two talked Irish in front of him. "Look, I'm pretty sure you're talkin' about me and you know how I feel about that."_

_Lilly laughed. "That's a little conceited of you, Arthur. What makes you think we're talkin' about you?"_

_"You keep sayin' 'Sasanach'. I've heard it enough to know it means anyone who ain't Irish."_

_Lilly and Sean gaped at each other, then laughed. "Tá an fear Sasanach cliste. Cheap mé a mhalairt i gcónaí," Sean giggled._ _[The Englishman is smart. I always thought otherwise.]_

_Arthur rolled his eyes but saw the look Lilly was giving Sean. Uh oh. She was mad. "_ _Bí cúramach le do chuid focal, deartháir. Tá meas ar mo chaomhnóir ar chúis," Lilly said. She pulled out a throwing knife and it landed just in front of Sean's boot. "Labhair go dona mar gheall air arís agus beidh tú gortaithe. Tuigeann tú?"_ _[Be careful with your words, brother. My guardian is respected for a reason. Speak badly about him again and you will be hurt. You understand?]_

_"Yes, deirfiúr. I apologize."_

_"Good."_

_Arthur wasn't exactly sure what transpired but Sean must have said something bad. He laughed. "Was Sean talkin' shit about me?"_

_"Yes," Lilly smiled and caressed Arthur's cheek. "Tá Arthur, d'intinn níos gile ná an ghrian." [Arthur, your mind is brighter than the sun.] Arthur felt a lump in his throat. The way Lilly stared at him, the way she touched him, her rosebud lips...it all made his cock get stiff. Lilly pulled back and glanced at Sean. "Feiceann sé bean anois. Sílim go n-imreoidh mé leis ar feadh tamaill."_ _[He sees a woman now. I think I'll play with him for a while.]_

 _Sean laughed. "Tú féin agus do dheasghnátha. Ar chóir dom dul?"_ _[You and your rituals. Should I go?]_

 _"Le do thoil téigh, mo dheartháir daor."_ _[Please go, my dear brother.]_

_Sean sighed. "Well, I'm gonna go see about Karen." Arthur heard Sean walk off._

_"Hey, wait," Arthur looked behind him. "What did I miss?"_

_"Not much, Englishman."_

_Lilly giggled with delight. "Oh, don't worry about him, Arthur. Now, aren't you goin' to see to my wounds?"_

_Arthur looked back at her and blinked a few times. "Yes, 'course." He doused some gauze with alcohol and started cleaning the first wound. It made Lilly hiss. "Sorry."_

_"It's fine. I don't mind pain much."_

_Arthur chuckled in amusement as he continued. He kept darting his eyes towards her cleavage although he tried not to. He did look at the rest of her exposed skin. She wasn't blotched with freckles all over the place, but she did have some dark ones placed randomly along her skin. It was as if she had the stars on her and if he connected the dots, Arthur could make out constellations. He was highly attracted to this feature, Arthur realized. God dammit. Arthur got new gauze and soaked it with bourbon before applying it to Lilly's other cut._

_"I'll be gentle."_

_Lilly grabbed his wrist and he looked at her. Her eyes were sparkling with mischief. Uh oh. "What if I don't want you to be gentle? What if I want you to be rough?"_

_Holy shit. Lilly was flirting with him. Shit. When the hell did she decide to include him in her damn hunting game? He swallowed hard. No. No no no. This was not going to happen. "Lillian. You stop that right now, you hear me?" he said sternly. "I am not gonna be one of your damn...targets!"_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because you're too young!"_

_"But it's just a game, Arthur. I don't take it seriously, why should you?"_

_Arthur scoffed. "You really are a tart, ain't ya?"_

_"Have I ever pretended not to be?"_

_Arthur gaped at her. "You're proud of bein'...a loose woman?"_

_A cackle came out of her. "Loose? I'm a virgin, ya silly man. I never saw a man's dingle dangle!"_

_His jaw went slack. "Never?"_

_Lilly smirked at him devilishly. "Would you like to change that?"_

_Arthur's dick got hard again. Damn his hormonal reactions to her. Damn them to hell! "What?!"_

_"I said," she_ _put her mouth close to his. "Would you like to change that?"_

_Arthur shot up. "You knock that shit off, Lillian! I mean it!"_

_Lilly stood and began stalking him like a predator. "Oh come on, don't tell me my maidenhood served on a silver platter isn't appealing to you."_

_Arthur backed up as she moved forward. Their blue eyes were locked on and he gulped from the seductive and playful look in her eyes. "It ain't!"_

_"Says the man with the bulge in his pants."_

_All the blood drained from his face when he looked down. "Fuck!" He turned around and reached in to adjust himself._

_He felt Lilly's arms around him and he froze. "It's a perfectly natural reaction, Arthur. Why are you so ashamed?" Her hands slid down his chest to his lower abdomen. "_ _What's wrong with a little harmless flirtin'?"_

_It wouldn't be harmless to him. If he gave in, Arthur knew he'd want her even more. And he really, really, REALLY wanted her now. "I'm a grown man. It's child's play."_

_An almost malicious laugh vibrated against his back as Lilly dug her face into it. "Oh, I think I know what the problem is."_

_"What?" Arthur snarled and turned around to glare at her. "What is the problem?!" Lilly giggled and started messing with his collar. Arthur could barely see her nipple pop out of her shirt. Holy fuck, no no no no no. He glared back into her eyes. "Well?"_

_"Either you ain't that good at teasin' or you're scared." Lilly nuzzled his nose and pecked it. This made Arthur tremble briefly. "Or maybe it's both," she whispered before pulling back and locking her eyes on his. "Well?"_

_Lilly was challenging him. She was fucking challenging him. She was calling Arthur out, saying he was afraid or insecure. Oh hell no. All logic and reason went out the window. His cons for the situation no longer mattered as he considered the pros of it. And before he could stop himself, he pulled her closer to him aggressively and she gasped._

_"You can't handle how good I am, O'Callaghan." He put his mouth close to hers. "Trust me. If you play this game with me, you will end up bein' my prey. And when that happens, you will..." he cocked his head to one side. "Beg me to fuck you so god damn hard that if I do, your whole body will break."_

_Arthur could feel her whole body shaking. Good god, that was fantastic. Maybe she'd finally shut up and stop teasing him and leave him alone. But instead of that, Lilly began to laugh hysterically._

_"Holy shit, Arthur!" Lilly backed up, turned, and cackled almost maniacally._

_Arthur's jaw went slack and his eyebrows raised. He was shocked. "Are you shittin' me?" Then again, why was he so surprised? This was Lilly O'Callaghan. A killer, a thief, a total tart, and she had a fearlessness that rivaled anyone he'd ever known. "Oh, that's funny to you, is it?"_

_Lilly faced him and shook her head. "No. That was fuckin' great!" She cackled again. "I'm impressed! Do it again!"_

_Fucking Christ. Arthur marched over to her but slowed down when he realized her breasts were almost out of her shirt. Arthur flashed his teeth at her. "You want more? I'll give you more, you little," he pushed up against her, grabbed her rump, and stared into her eyes. "Sex kitten. If I finally do take you, you'll be ruined for other men because no other man could come close to what I'd do to you." He smiled again and pecked her neck softly. Lilly shuddered against him. "That's if I decide to take you, and if you save your virginity for me, leave the silver platter at home because I'll break that shit too," Arthur purred into the crook of her neck._

_Lilly was trembling and even gasped. "Ooooooo, boyo. Phew...I'm gettin' the vapors," she mocked a southern accent as she fanned herself. Obviously Lilly was kidding._

_"Hmm." He chuckled in amusement. What a tough nut to crack. He lifted her up and she cackled. Arthur went to his knees, put Lilly on her back, and laid on top of her while locking eyes with her. "Lilly O'Callaghan, you're gonna regret and cherish today. I'll make sure of that...right...now..." Arthur untucked part of her shirt but kept her breast clothed. His hand went and caressed her inner thigh, just for a moment, and Lilly moaned. Oh God. Hearing that made him almost start grinding into her. "Ooh hoo hoo, did I hit a nerve?"_

_Lilly stared at him in shock and amazement. Her cheeks were red and her body was hot against his. Doing that to her was exhilarating. Still, he was a dirty old man. This had to be the only time. He would not do it again. But then she said something that shattered that plan to smithereens._

_"Do ya know how long I been waitin' fer this, Arthur?"_

_"...What?"_

_"I do flirt, this is true, but the other boys and men ain't even prey. They're practice dummies." Lilly held his face. "I been fine tunin' my huntin' game so that one day, I could..." Lilly raised a leg and Arthur instinctively held it up. "Hunt you. And just now, you ruined me for other prey, Arthur. No other man could do what you just did to me."_

_Arthur's heart was pumping so hard it was pounding in his ears. Lilly was no longer the little girl who stole his money, his watch, and his heart ten years ago. She was no longer his charge to guard, his mentee to train, or his protégé to guide. Now she was the young woman he just fell in love with. Yet he could never have her_ _. He'd never know the feeling of kissing her, being inside her, and holding her afterwards. This thought saddened him but now he had the hunting game to occupy his mind and heart with._

_"Well then." He smiled down at her then blew softly on her ear. "Shall I continue, or do you yield?"_

_Lilly chuckled almost evily. "It's gonna take more than that to break me, Arthur Morgan. But uh...in all this hot and heavy flirtin', I forgot I had cuts on me shoulders."_

_Arthur laughed. "Me too. Alright, come on." He helped Lilly stand up with him. He watched her walk back to the log but his eyes immediately looked at her bottom. He jerked his head to one side and adjusted his belt before walking after her. "God, what a lovely round ass..." he whispered to himself._


	12. The Bedsheets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for sexual content.

For the next two weeks, when Arthur and her weren't necking, petting, and engaging in sexual intercourse, Lilly spent a lot of her time hunting. The wolves, who were males, would often help her with that. Lilly's affection for them grew each time she camped out. They would sleep just outside when she was doing overnights, they'd engage in play with her, and they'd watch out fir her as she did them. In those two weeks, though, the boys grew significantly bigger and their gray and black colors started fading over the time. Lilly knew they were still just pups, but how old were they? They were already larger than most of the wolves around the Heartlands, standing about 3 1/2 feet at the shoulder, but they weren't from here. What was even stranger were their eyes. They'd gone from yellow to green. Wolves didn't have green eyes. It made her think about the creature she saw outside her cave. That one had piercing blue eyes. Animals in Canada or near it were unusual. But still, as abnormal as they were, the boys refused to come into the main camp.

The horse Lilly was using for her hunts was the chestnut morgan. A spare. She missed Holly, and as much as she liked the morgan, she needed a permanent horse and she couldn't imagine having this one as her next true mount. Morgans were small and since she was 5'9", she felt a bit like a giant riding a donkey. So after the two weeks had gone by, Lilly decided she needed to aquire a new horse. As she was getting dressed in her red and black summer gunslinger attire, Arthur walked into the tent with two cups of coffee.

"Mm, thank you, mo chuisle," Lilly cooed gratefully as he gave it to her.

Arthur took a sip of his. He was in his own summer gunslinger outfit with the sleeves rolled up and the collar undone. Same as her. "So, what's on your agenda for today, Miss O'Callaghan?"

Lilly drank some of the coffee. "A new horse being one item on the list."

"Hmm. Really?"

"Yes. Gonna go out and catch one. And not one that'll make me look freakishly tall."

Arthur laughed as if he knew something she didn't. "Well, now that you mention it..."

Dark blue eyes squinted at him. She had scruples. "What did you do now?" As much as she loved the gift giving he'd been doing, it was starting to become a little...much. Only because she'd been so busy trying to keep people fed Lilly had no time to give Arthur any presents. It made her feel awful.

Arthur seemed to sense her inner conflict. "Hey, what's wrong darlin'?"

"Ya keep givin' me stuff and I haven't given ya diddly squat."

A cackle escaped Arthur. "You been preoccupied. I understand that. But if it will make you feel better, I'll stop with the gifts for now, okay?"

"Now I really feel bad."

Arthur kissed her. "Don't. Just...don't be sorry about giftin'. But I do have one for you outside, and...I think it'll suit you."

Lilly huffed and chuckled happily before drinking more coffee. "You got me a horse, right?"

Arthur drank his coffee. "Yes. Hosea and I went huntin' for a bear and, well, I happened to acquire this steed beforehand. But you will like this one, I promise. He will not make you feel freakishly tall."

"Bear huntin', huh? Is it safe to assume we got two new bear killers in the camp?"

"Ha! Nope. That's just you. But maybe we can stop by the area some time and you can help me get him." Lilly grinned with a nod. She went to go outside but Arthur stopped her. "What's your rush? Ya got a horse. What else is on your agenda?"

"Huntin', of course."

Arthur finished his coffee. "Pearson says we got enough meat and pelts. You and Charles did good. So please take a damn day off."

Lilly laughed. "Okay, fine. I suppose I've earned one of those." She finished her coffee. "So..." she gave him a soft and tender kiss. "Any idea how I should spend my day off?" she asked seductively.

Arthur tossed his cup and kissed her deeply. Lilly put her arms around his neck. Both their hats fell off. Lilly had planned on braiding her hair but, well, screw that. The man was insatiable and she loved it. Arthur's stubble tickled her face and she giggled. They started undressing. Lilly was now prone to wearing undershirts since her nipples were now...more sensitive to cloth. Constant stimulation was the culprit for that, not that Lilly was complaining. It didn't protect against Arthur's hands, but again, she was not complaining.

Lilly moaned into his mouth as he played with the nubs. One of her hands went to the front of Arthur's pants and she groped him. She reached in and felt the warmth of his flesh and it immediately grew in her hands. Arthur grunted.

"Mmmmmm, darlin'? Might I ask you to try somethin' different?"

"Uh huh."

"I'd very much like it if you sucked my-" Arthur groaned out as Lilly yanked his pants down and sucked on the tip of his member. "Oh...well, okay..."

Arthur's hand gripped into her hair and Lilly's mouth started salivating, so she opened her mouth wider and put him into it further. Lilly started making soft slurping sounds as her head bobbed to and fro. Her hand went up and began to stroke him as well.

"Oooohhh Lillian...w-where did you...how...?"

Lilly stopped for a moment and looked up at him. "Karen. She coached me."

Arthur laughed. "Karen? Why?"

"I wanted to learn how to please you," Lilly said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "She taught me other stuff, too..."

Lilly went back to what she was doing and Arthur groaned. "And you said you had no time for gifts," he chuckled before groaning again. "Lilly I wanna sit down for this."

Arthur sat on the bed but Lilly shoved him so he's go flat on his back. "It'll be better if you lay down."

"What?" He looked down at her. "What do you-ah!" he almost shouted as Lilly sucked on one of his testicles.

"Did that hurt?"

Arthur laughed breathlessly. "No, I just wasn't ready for that."

Lilly grinned devishly. "Then you better prepare yourself for the next part. Oh and uh...you're gonna have to tell me when you're close."

"Oh shit." Lilly laughed and bobbed her mouth on his shaft. She watched Arthur relax his head and once his cock was wet enough, she took her hand and stroked him as she tasted his scrotum. His hands caressed her hair and head. Now for the next part. Lilly took her free hand, took two fingers, and massaged the area behind his balls. "What...the...hell?"

Lilly put his dick back into her mouth and her other hand tickled his nuts. Her fingers massaged his taint still and Lilly felt Arthur tremble beneath her. Her fingers made a forward stroke and Arthur grunted loudly. She stroked again as she sucked and bobbed on his member and caressed his testicles. When Lilly started kneading him again, he started bucking his hips gently. Lilly wanted so much to please him and she didn't want to screw this up. The Irish woman put more pressure on his taint and Lilly heard Arthur growl in pleasure.

"Lillian, I'm...fuck, why am I so close this fast?"

Lilly once again increased pressure and she sucked on him harder. She felt his scrotum start to shrink up into his body and Lilly knew he was about to come. Lilly pressed on his taint harder and massaged it faster. She heard Arthur start to pant and groan deeply before he let out a really loud and deep guttural sound. Hot liquid shot into her mouth and she almost choked on it. It tasted funny, but it wasn't terrible. She released pressure on his taint as his cock spasmed and slowly let go of his balls as he finished shooting into her mouth. Lilly swallowed it all. She gave his cock one last suck before looking up at him.

"So, how was that?" she asked as she wiped the sides of her mouth with her fingertips. She had some of his seed on her chin. He looked at her just as she took a fingertip, swiped the remaining come off her chin, and put it in her mouth.

"Did...did you swallow?!" he asked with shock in his voice.

Lilly stared at him, eyes wide as the eyes of an owl. "I...um...should I not have done that? Karen said men like that."

Arthur relaxed on the bed and chuckled happily. "Oh God, Lillian, that was...hoo...take your pants off."

"Um, okay, but why-"

Arthur sat up and grabbed her belt aggressively. "Now," he demanded.

Lilly's breath hitched. She got up and wiggled out of her pants. Arthur pulled her hips to him and he instantly put his mouth on Lilly's womanhood. Lilly gasped and he took her with him as he laid back down. Lilly fell on her hands and moaned as his tongue explored every crevice inside and out. She whimpered with pleasure.

"Arthur...what..." she cried out. He forced her to lift up and he put two fingers inside her. Lilly gasped loudly as he massaged a familiar spot. Oh no. He was going to make her gush. "Arthur, please don't do that!"

Arthur stopped. "Lillian, please. I...what you did to me was so god damn good, I gotta make you feel that good."

Lilly frowned at him. "I know...but...I..." Arthur rolled his eyes, groaned in frustration, and shoved her off him. He got up and put his pants back on. "Wait, where are you goin'?"

"Out."

"But why?"

"None of your business." He buckled his pants.

Lilly scoffed, got off the bed and stood up at him. "Excuse me! What the fuck are ya mad at me fer?!"

"You won't let me please you, woman!"

"I think ya mean "ya won't let me please ya in a way I see fit even if it makes ya fuckin' upset no matter how good it feels", Arthur!"

"Oh screw you Lillian! Just because you're emotionally repressed doesn't mean I have to be patient with you all the god damn tine!"

"Emotionally repressed? I'm emotionally repressed?!" Lilly scowled and grabbed her pants while Arthur grabbed his short. "Ya wanna know what else was on me agenda today, Arthur?" she shouted as she yanked her pants on.

"Fine, what was it?!"

Lilly grabbed her boots, her gun belt, her hat, and her gunslinger shirt. "Tellin' ya I'm in love with ya, ya god damn eejit!" she yelled.

Arthur stopped buttoning his shirt and gaped at her. "...What?"

"Yeah, Arthur, I love ya! And I was gonna tell ya today! I had a whole-"

Arthur grabbed her and pressed his lips on hers. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. Lilly struggled in his grasp but Arthur just held her. He took his mouth off hers. "Ah, um...taw may e n...n...graw let, ma store ine! Shit, store een! Ma store een!"

Lilly gaped at him. "...What did you just try to say?"

Arthur let her go and sighed. "I'm tryin' to speak gae...guy...dammit, Irish! I'm tryin' to speak Irish, okay!?"

Lilly blinked repeatedly. "How the fuck are ya...are ya...what?"

Arthur huffed at her angrily. "I'm tryin' to say 'I am in love with you' in Irish, woman!"

Lilly swiped her face slowly with her fingers. She was checking for face paralysis because she was clearly having a stroke. "Okay, first of all...yer tryin' tah speak Gaeilge. And second of all...okay, ya love me, but yer tryin' to speak Gaeilge. And third of all...yer tryin' tah speak Gaeilge?!"

Arthur started laughing. "I'm sorry, but yes."

"How are ya learnin'?" Arthur went to his bedside table, opened the drawer, and tossed a small booklet to her. Lilly caught it and read the cover. "Irish Terms of Endearment."

Arthur sighed. "Yeah. I ordered it. I...it's a very hard language. I figured I could at least try to learn...that stuff." He walked over to her. "...mo stoirín. There, did I say that one right?"

Lilly smiled at him. "Yes."

Arthur palmed her cheeks and smirked down at her. "Alright, well, I'll say it in a language I can speak. Myne owne hertis rote."

"What's that?"

"My heart's root. I am your heart's pulse, but you are the very core of mine because you captured it the day I met you. I loved you as my charge, I loved you as my mentee, I loved you as my protégé, but that day when you and I first started flirtin'...I fell in love with a woman."

Lilly bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. Holy fucking shit. "Ya been in love with me fer four years and ya never told me? Why?"

"I couldn't handle the age difference. It made me feel like a-"

"Dirty old man," Lilly finished for him.

Arthur sighed. "Yes, it did.

Well, shit. Now she felt horrible. Lilly dropped the booklet and hugged him. "I'm sorry."

Arthur held her and kissed her. "I'm sorry too."

Lilly pressed her forehead to his and shut her eyes. "Forgiven."

Arthur mirrored the gesture. "Forgiven, mo grá." _[my love.]_

Lilly guffawed. "Oh ho ho, ya really been tryin', haven't ya?

"Yes. And now...I want to love you in the bed. And I won't make you gush. I'm hopin' you will eventually, but...I'll be patient from now on, I promise."

Lilly decided the hell with it. Crying or not, Lilly wanted to please him and she needed to stop worrying about showing weakness in front of him. He was the last person in the world who would ever take advantage of it. "Do it."

Arthur gave her a shit eating smile. "What?"

Lilly smirked at him suggestively. "You heard me, Mr. Morgan. You want me to gush so bad?" She shoved him to the bed and started undressing herself. "Then make me gush."

"But you said-"

Lilly slid her pants off. "I know what I said but now the dynamic of our relationship just got more serious. Think of it as havin' another little piece of me that no one else will." Lilly hovered over Arthur and smiled down at him before plopping onto her back next to him and spreading her thighs open. "Now be a good boy and make your woman wetter than the ocean."

Arthur rolled over onto her and kissed her. "I love you so god damn much," he said with a smile.

"I love you too, so god damn much."

Arthur cackled with glee and went down between her thighs. Lilly moaned loudly when she felt his mouth practically assault her pussy. Fingers went into his hair as Lilly arched her back. Two fingers went into her slit and Arthur began to massage her spot. Lilly grasped his hair tighter while her other hand gripped the sheets. Lilly felt Arthur's thumb on her nub and Lilly grabbed one of the pillows to scream into. This was fantastic. She could feel herself getting more hot and wet and pretty soon her pleasure began to rise. She moaned and shouted over and over into the pillow and she came hard. Lilly felt liquid flow from her as she trembled and screamed into the pillow.

She heard Arthur cackle. "Oh my God, Lilly. You got the bed all wet."

Lilly's muscles squeezed and relaxed. Tears formed in her eyes but she didn't care. Orgasms were fucking amazing and she wanted more. She took the pillow off and drew breath. "Do it again, please."

"Really?"

"Yes," she whimpered breathlessly. "As many times as you want. Just keep goin'."

Lilly covered her face again as Arthur went back to work. When she came a second time, it was even better than the first. Arthur tasted her and chuckled. "You really do taste like honey, mo stoirín." _[my little darling.]_ He made her come a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, and a seventh time before he was done. By that time, Lilly felt like her bones and muscles turned into jelly. "Well, I hope you're ready for the next thing I wanted to try on you."

"...seriously?" she whimpered.

Arthur undressed again with an evil laugh. "Oh yes, I am very serious." He helped Lilly get on her hands and knees. "Good. Think you can handle that?"

"Y-Yeah..."

Arthur chuckled. "Oh my God, Lillian. The sheets are so fuckin' soaked."

Lilly looked down and giggled. There was a huge wet spot right in the middle of the bed. "Dammit, I'm gonna have to wash these afterwards."

Lilly felt Arthur grab her hips. "No, I will. I'll change the sheets. I took the initiative and bought extra bedsheets."

"Why?"

"I can't believe you're askin' me that question."

Lilly sighed. "What's this next thing you wanted to do?"

Lilly felt Arthur enter her from behind. "This."

He started thrusting into her slowly and she groaned. "Jesus Christ..."

"Problems?"

"Yes. I need to lay down."

Arthur laughed at her and plunged into her deeply. This made her gasp loudly. "Really? I think you can handle it."

He went faster and harder and Lilly buried her face into the pillow. She knew exactly where this was leading: her screaming in pleasure.

* * *

Arthur sat on the bed with an armful of dark blue bedsheets and in his summer gunslinger outfit. The sheets got changed before he laid Lilly to rest. She was naked, covered with a blanket, and exhausted out of her gourd. She went to sleep almost immediately after they were done having sex. Lilly looked peaceful and content. He really couldn't believe his luck. Lilly could be with whoever she wanted, but she chose him. And she loved him. As much as he wanted to lay down and rest with her, he had laundry to do. Normally the women handled that, but Arthur didn't want to embarass his young lover. He bent down and kissed her lips gently. "I love you, Lilly."

"...mmm...love you, Arthur..." she mumbled.

Arthur smiled, kissed her one more time, and exited the tent. The sun was shining and Arthur felt happy and satisfied. It really was a beautiful day. He went walking across the way to the horses when he heard Hosea call his name. Arthur stopped and waved at him.

"Hosea." The older man brought Arthur some coffee and he chuckled breathlessly. Hosea chuckled too.

"Quite a day," he said.

"Heh, let's hope so," Arthur responded as he took a drink of coffee.

"There's a bunch of the boys already in Valentine. Bill, Charles, and Javier. And Swanson found somethin' down at the train station by the lake apparently. And Strauss came back with that creepy little smile on his face. I'm sure there's a whole list of unfortunates he's forced money upon."

Arthur chuckled and took another drink. "Thank you. But uh, Strauss will have to wait. Lilly isn't very fond of him or his profession, you know."

Hosea looked at the bedsheets. "Hmm. Where is Lilly anyway?"

"Asleep. I told her she needed the day off and, well, I guess that's how she's gonna spend her leisure time. Huntin' must be exhaustin'."

Hosea looked at Arthur with a suspicious grin. "Oh really? Lilly is asleep because of huntin' too much?"

"No, she ain't, but I figured you didn't want to know the real reason," Arthur sighed knowingly.

"Ah. I take it that's why you need to wash those bedsheets," Hosea smirked. "God, you two are worse than rabbits."

A wheezy cackle was Arthur's response. "Nothin' gets by you, old man."

"Not really, no."

"Hmm. Well, I-"

"Mr. Morgan. Are you bringin' me those bedsheets to wash?" Susan came walking up.

Arthur looked at Hosea. Hosea held up a hand. "Nope. They're _your_ bedsheets."

Arthur took a deep breath and looked at Miss Grimshaw. "Actually I was gonna go wash these myself."

Susan laughed. "You? Washin' bedsheets? Do you even know how to do that?"

"...Can't be that hard, can it?"

"You don't wash bedsheets like regular clothes, Mr. Morgan."

Arthur's cheeks turned pink. "Okay, Susan, there is a reason why I'd like to wash these and not have you or any of the girls see why they gotta be washed in the first place."

"...Oh. I see. Well," Miss Grimshaw laughed a little. "Okay, how about I go with you to wash 'em? I'll show you how. I'm, uh...assumin' Lilly ain't up to the task right now?"

Hosea burst into laughter. "Nope!"

Miss Grimshaw sighed. "Alright, Arthur. Let's go."

"Hosea, if Lilly gets up before I get back, can you direct her to the horse I got her?"

Hosea glanced over at it. "You got that one for Lilly?"

"She's tall and...well, she's Lilly. A war horse suits her."

"This is true. Yes, I'll let her know."

Arthur tipped his hat with a smile and followed Miss Grimshaw.

* * *

Lilly stretched and yawned as she woke up. She was sleeping on dark green bedsheets. Strange. Weren't the sheets...oh. Lilly giggled to herself. Man, she felt so satisfied. As she got out of bed she fell over and she cackled to herself. Her body still felt a bit wobbly. Lilly tried to stand but it was difficult. "Jesus Christ, Arthur," she giggled with joy.

Eventually she got her previous outfit back on. She found her brush in her chest and brushed out her auburn locks before braiding her hair. Lilly exited the tent as she put on her bulldogger hat. She tried to walk confidently but actually lost her balance and fell over. "Shit!" she laughed.

"Well, look who is up!" she heard Hosea shout.

Lilly got up and looked around. She spotted him. "Athair. Hi."

He chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Have a nice nap?"

"Yes?"

"So, ah, I know it's your day off, but..."

Lilly laughed and nodded with awareness. "You talked to Arthur, huh?"

"Yep. Grimshaw took him to go wash the...bedsheets."

Lilly blushed. "As ucht Dé."

Hosea laughed. "But on the bright side, you got a new horse." He pointed behind her.

Lilly turned around. What she saw made her eyes bug out and her jaw drop. "...Wow. That's..." Lilly giggled and ran over. It was a iron gray colored Ardennes. "He...Arthur got me a war horse?!"

Hosea scratched the horse's nose. "Yep. You like him?"

The horse nudged his nose into Hosea's hand, then he sniffed Lilly's face. Lilly laughed as the horse's lips grazed her cheek. "Awww, I love him!" She stroked his neck. "He's a beauty. Hmm...what to call him..."

"Well, call him somethin' Irish."

Lilly laughed. "Alright, well, he's gray, so...Liath Macha. Let's try that name out for now." Lilly reached into her satchel and pulled out an apple. Liath ate it immediately. "So, you were sayin' about me day off?"

"Well, we got somethin' with Bill, Javier, and Charles in town. Strauss has debts to be collected, although I know you abhor that kind of thing."

"Yes I do."

"Then there's Swanson. He's got somethin' goin' at the train station down a ways."

"Hmm, alright, Athair." Lilly got up on Liath and smiled. "Perfect fit. Arthur got the saddle on and everythin'. But yes, I do like this boy. And I'll go see what Swanson is up to."

"Thanks, Lilly."

Lilly clicked her tongue and Liath went trotting out of camp. When she got out, her wolves were waiting for her. Surprisingly, Liath didn't seem to mind. "Well, buddies. I suppose I better come up with names for ya too, hmm?"

Lilly studied them both. One of them was a little smaller than the other one. As they galloped along by the train tracks, two names came to mind. Hmm. Lilly looked at the bigger one. "Alright. I'm gonna honor me dead brothers. You're gonna be Brian. And you," she pointed to the smaller wolf. "You're gonna be James."

Lilly tested out her new steed and was inpressed. He wasn't the fastest horse, but he was a huge bastard and she liked that. He also wasn't scared of much which was also a plus. It wasn't long before a station came into view.

"That must be it," Lilly said to herself. She trotted up to the place and hitched up Liath. "Uh, Brian, James, you might want to skip out on this one?" The boys didn't budge and she sighed. Whatever. Lilly called out for the man she was seeking. "Swanson! Reverend Swanson!"

"Come on, play your damn hand already!" someone yelled from inside. Lilly walked through the open door to see Reverend Swanson at a table with two other men. "Play it!"

"As ucht Dé," _[For Christ sake.]_ she mumbled to herself. She could tell Swanson was drunk off his god damn ass.

"Alright...wait," muttered Swanson. He lifted his head and saw Lilly. "Miss O'Callaghan!"

Lilly sighed in frustration. "Reverend, what are you doin' here?"

"I decided to take Mr. Morgan's advice," he replied.

Lilly put her hands on her hips. She was having such a good day today, but no. It had to go downhill because of this shlossed eejit. "I don't think Arthur told ya tah get drunk off yer arse and get it handed tah ya in a game of cards, Reverend!"

"No," the Reverend explained. "Not in those words, but I did take his advice." He began standing up. "I have removed myself from Morpheus' embrace." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "No more shall I sink, madam!"

Lilly could smell the alcohol on him and it was strong enough to knock anyone out. He started going on about how 'he was free' and Lilly groaned. "Ya not free, Swanson! Ya feckin' circlin' over Shannon!"

The strangers laughed at the uncommon word. "He's what?" the one in the hat asked.

"Malafoostered. Sloshed. Bogmheisce. Three sheets to the feckin' wind! Plastered! Alco!" she emphasized. They still looked confused. "He's drunk, boys."

They both gave a long 'oooooh' and laughed. "Malafoostered. I like that word!" the first guy smiled. "But hey, you ain't finished, friend. Play your hand."

Lilly stared at the strangers in disbelief. "Oh, he is finished," she dared to say. "Look at him! The man can barely stand upright!"

"None of us forced liquor down his throat, friend," the man in the hat spoke once more. "I just want him to play."

Lilly placed her hands on the table and leaned in. "Perhaps ya not hearin' me properly, boys! The man is shite-faced! He is seein' triple of ya! He is done playin' the feckin' cards, ya git me? Now ya either let him on his way, or yous fellers will be dealin' with me!"

The man in the hat scoffed. "I just want him to finish the game!"

Lilly grunted. That was it. She pulled out her gun and aimed it at the man. He raised his hands. "Say it one more time, and I'll plaster ya brains tah the god damn wall!"

"Why can't we all just get along?" Swanson asked drunkenly. "These are good men, Miss O'Callaghan. They're children of God...they're children of God." Swanson suddenly fell over and all three of them watched him pass out.

"Oh, well," the man in the hat said. "How's about you play in his place? That seems fair."

"Fair?!" she replied.

"Sure," the man with the mustache finally said.

"You wanna game?" Hat man asked.

Lilly holstered her gun and groaned. She knew she'd regret this. "Fiiiiine," she said.

"Well, sit yourself down, then."

Lilly sat in Swanson's chair. "Now Reverend, you ne-" Lilly stood up. The man was gone. "Oh what in the bloody god damn seven fuckin' hells?!"

Lilly ran outside and started calling out for Reverend Swanson. She saw two men outside and asked them if they saw him.

"Sure, we saw him...and smelled him...and avoided him..." the two men laughed, and they pointed towards the tracks. "He went that way, I think."

"Thanks," she said and started running off in the direction they pointed at.

"Guy looked kinda crazy, lady!" they yelled.

"Ugh, ya have no idea!" she yelled back at them. She kept running and yelling for him when she spotted him on the hill fighting with another man. "What are ya doin'?" she shouted.

"Hey, calm down!" Swanson shouted at his assailant.

"Jesus Christ Almighty! HEY!" she shouted.

The man dropped Swanson and turned around to look at Lilly. "Who the hell are you?!"

"That man's handler. What the feck were ya doin' that fer?"

"He said somethin' to me!" the man snapped.

"What did he say?" Lilly snapped back.

"I don't know but it was bad!"

"...Alright, I'm done dealin' with eejits today." Lilly walked up to the two. "I'm not in the mood fer this shite, Swanson! Now git yer bollocks up, ya damn malafoostered moron!"

The bald guy blocked her path. "I don't think so, little lady. I don't care who you are, you-"

Lilly knocked him in the throat and he went down. Lilly rolled her eyes and walked around him to get Swanson. "Come on, man! Git up!"

Lilly felt something hard hit her back and she went down. She turned over and the bald man was about to stomp on her but she rolled away in time. The man pursued her and kicked her in the gut. Oh fuck, that hurt. He kicked her again, this time in the face. Lilly swore she heard something break in her face but now she had a bad headache. She rolled away and got up with her knives out. The man charged her and she twirled away and sliced his arm. He yelled out and grabbed his arm. "You dumb bitch!"

"Ugh, spare me! Can't men think of any other word tah call a woman besides bitch? We ain't dogs, ya fuck!"

The man ran at her and she sighed. What an idiot. He swiped at her and she dodged. He reached for her again and she sliced him. He grabbed her arm and shook it so hard Lilly lost her grip. Lilly sliced at him with her other knife but he headbutted her. Lilly went down. Good Lord. The man grabbed one of her knives and went to stab her but she used both her arms to block it. God, he was a large burly fucker. She's taken down worse but this guy was gettin' the best of her. That wasn't fucking normal. Intermittent grunts left her throat as the man got the blade closer and closer to her chest. Shit. Shit shit shit.

Lilly deflected the knife from going straight into her chest but it went just under her collarbone and she screamed out. The man laughed, pulled it out, and went to stab her again when Brian and James launched themselves at him and started tearing him apart. Lilly scooted back in shock as she watched the man scream and beg for mercy before Brian tore his throat out.

"Oh no, you killed him," said an unknown voice. "I'm gonna get the law on you!"

Lilly grunted. He was blaming her for the god damn wolves? "Guys, please go get that idiot, but don't kill him."

As if they understood, the boys went running after the man. They herded him back to her as she slowly got up. As she got near, Lilly grabbed him by the shirt collar. "Don't ya say a god damn word, ya understand?"

She pushed him to the ground and he whimpered in surrender. "Alright, alright! I swear I won't say anything!"

"Good, now get the hell outta here!" She shouted. She watched the man run off before she started yelling again. "Swanson! Ya better pray I don't beat yer arse too! Where are ya?" Ugh, she was hurting bad.

Lilly looked around, yelling for him, grasping her chest, when she finally saw him on the train bridge. Lilly once again began walking towards him. Lilly noticed his foot was caught between the planks. "I'm stuck, Miss O'Callaghan!"

"As ucht Dé. Boys, go help him please." Lilly was now as angry as a bull with a tied up nutsack. "What did ya do, ya gobshite?" she yelled as she closed the gap between them. Lilly then heard a train in the distance and realized it was on the other side of the bridge heading for them. "What did ya do with yer foot, man?!" She grabbed his leg and started to pull on it. The wolves tried to pull too but they only managed to rip up his pants legs. "Ugh, boys, just go, ya ain't helpin'!" she laughed hysterically. The boys ran off.

"It appears to like this place and wants to stay!" Swanson stated.

Lilly noticed the train coming closer and pulled more. "As ucht Dé, twist yer feckin' leg, man!" Swanson did as he was told, but the foot wouldn't budge. The train was now on the bridge and it wasn't slowing down. Lilly started to panic. "Swanson! Help me out or we're both dead!"

She gave his leg one last tug and the foot came free. Lilly grabbed the priest and pushed him to the side of the bridge, then she jumped out of the way of the train just in time. Swanson almost fell over the rail but she grabbed him and pulled him back up. Lilly and Swanson were both breathing hard, and as the train passed by, Lilly put his arm over her shoulders. Holding him sideways at the waist, she started walking with him off the bridge. She whistled for her horse, and soon Liath came into view.

Lilly was shaking from the adrenaline rush as they got to the end of the bridge. Swanson suddenly let go and started wandering off. "Thank you, madam!"

Lilly grabbed him by his collar. "Don't ya even dare, ya drunken bastard!" she tossed him onto the grass and he fell on his back. Lilly felt ready to tear her hair out. "What the feck is wrong wit' ya?!"

Swanson got up angrily. "What the hell is wrong with you? Throwin' me off a bridge like that?"

Lilly gaped at him incredulously. "Did ya not see the feckin' train that nearly ran us down?" she yelled. "Or was that just me own imagination?! Ack..." Lilly remembered she got stabbed. The wound was flowing a bit.

The reverend gasped in horror. "Have I been bad again, Miss O'Callaghan? I'm sorry!" Swanson started crying and Lilly rubbed a hand down her face in disbelief. "I wish I was different," he sobbed.

Lilly took a deep breath and counted to the number ten inside her head. With an exhale, she patted the reverend on his shoulder. "Calm yer horses, man. Let's just get ya home."

Swanson looked up at her as she grabbed the reins to her horse. "Home," he said. "Yeah, that's a wonderful idea. I could have tea with Margaret."

Lilly blinked at him. "Margaret? Who's Margaret?"

"My..." suddenly the Reverend fell and passed out again.

Lilly shut her eyes and clenched her fists. "As ucht Dé," she said for what felt like the hundredth time today. Luckily, the priest was light. She picked him up and tossed him on the back of her horse. Lilly went and stroked her horse's neck before climbing on. Ugh, the pain she was in right now...how the fuck did that guy get the best of her?! Oh, she knew why. Because of god damn Reverend Swanson and his bullshit drunken antics! "Yer lucky Da likes ya, ya motherless bitch!"

* * *

The ride back to camp was thankfully uneventful, the Reverend's sleep talking notwithstanding, but she was still quite vexed. And in pain. She was getting woozy but at least she got the bleeding to stop. The wolves were nice enough to escort her in but quickly left as soon as she hitched Liath up. "Heh. Thanks, I guess?"

She went and slid Swanson off the horse, then dragged him through the camp by his foot. At this point, Lilly felt he didn't deserve the courtesy of being carried on her shoulder. People started gathering around as they watched her pull Swanson to his tent. As Lilly shoved his slump body onto his bedroll, he woke up and looked around, clueless as to how he got there.

"YOU," she pointed at him, "WOULD DO BEST TAH AVOID ME FER A WEE WHILE, SWANSON! DO NOT MAKE ME CHASE YA AGAIN, YA HEAR ME? BECAUSE I...wilna..." She had a wound to tend to. "Ack, I canna be bothered!"

"Lilly, what happened to you?" Pearson asked. Lilly turned around and saw pretty much the whole camp gawking at her. Lilly cocked her head to one side while putting her hand on her stab wound.

"Yeah, let's not bother helpin' the lass that's fuckin' bleedin' everywhere! Let's just gawk at her instead! It's not like she wasna beaten up, almost tattled on by a do gooder for her wolves eatin' somebody, and damn near killed by a fuckin' train because this stupid, arsehole, drunk, piece of shite, snivelin', cryin', useless and poor excuse of a man got his god damn foot stuck on a bridge!"

Dutch came up and gaped at her. "Lilly, oh my god...what happ-"

"DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT MESELF, DA! AND SOMEONE BRING ME A GOD DAMN WHISKEY!"

Tilly came running with a bottle while Dutch asked people what was going on. Lilly opened it and chugged some as the onlookers stared at her. There we go. She corked the bottle back up and handed it to Tilly. "Thank ya, love. Now, I'm sorry fer bein' upset, but...oh, ya know why I'm upset. Am I bein' unreasonable here?"

"No, not at all," Tilly replied. "But are you okay, Lilly?"

"Weeeel, no. I needed the whiskey fer...me face, me stomach, and, well..." Lilly pulled part of her shirt back to show the stab wound. "And that too. Pretty sure I'm...oh boy..." Lilly felt dizzy and grabbed Tilly's hand. "Be a dear and help me sit down, okay?"

"Can someone bring a chair please?"

Strauss came walking with a chair and medical supplies and Lilly sat down with Tilly' help. "Ah, thank ya, Tilly. You too, Strauss. I may not like ya but at least yer chivalrous." Lilly patted his arm and he chuckled nervously. Lilly grabbed the bottle of whiskey and started drinking more. "Oooh, good stuff. I think I shall be a wee bit calmer now, so I wilna use my outdoor voice anymore. I know how much it scares people when I do that."

Dutch turned his back to hide his laughter. Hosea came walking up to her. "Sweetheart, what happened?"

Lilly took another sip as Strauss tried to clean her stab wound. "Mmm! Athair. Ya wouldna believe the day I had! I found Swanson and...wait, where's Arthur and Miss Grimshaw? Are they not back from scrubbin' the come stains out of-" Lilly gasped and her hand flew to her mouth, but she started laughing like an idiot all the same.

Dutch burst out laughing. Some others did too. Hosea especially did.

"Miss O'Callaghan, please hold still," Mr. Strauss said. "I'm almost done stitching you up."

Lilly looked down. Sure enough, he was on the last stitch. "I'll be god damned. I donna even feel it! Yer good!"

Strauss chuckled. "Thank you, Miss Lilly, but I'm sure the lack of pain is from the alcohol you just consumed."

Lilly looked at the bottle. "Oh yeah. Tilly, uh...could ya kindly take this somewheres? I donna think I should be drinkin' anymore just now!" Lilly went into hysterics.

"Lilly?"

Lilly looked around and saw two Arthurs. "Oh, hi loves. I see two of yas. Oh shite, Strauss, is that because of the whiskey or do I have a concussion?"

"The whiskey," Strauss replied. "Your pupils aren't asymmetrical so that's a good sign. Although that cut on your face will need cleaning."

"Ah, okay. Crack on, then."

Arthur knelt down in front of her. "What happened to you?"

Lilly pointed to the passed out Swanson. "That mother fucker is the epitome of Murphy's law!"

"Did you go to the train station?"

"Yep," Lilly said with a pop to her lips. "And the man was circlin' the Shannon!"

"The what?"

"She means he was drunk, Arthur," Molly interjected.

"Ah! Yes! That's the word I had to say after usin' five different ways tah say drunk. Malafoostered. Sloshed. Um...anyway, thank you Molly! So, the bastards wanted Swanson tah keep playin' and Swanson was goin' on about Morpheus' embrace and bein' free of 'im and takin' yer advice and before ya ask me about that, please note I havena feckin' clue what he meant!"

Arthur bit his knuckles to keep himself from laughing. "Tilly, how much whiskey did she drink?'

Tilly showed him the bottle and Lilly saw it. "Oh, yeah. About that...but anyway...so, mo chuisle?"

Arthur smiled at her. "Yes mo stoirín?"

"I had tah play in his stead because he passed out. And just when I sat down...he was goooooone! I had tah chase his dumbass all over the place! I got in a fight with some poor giant bastard...he got the better of me and used me knife tah...fuck, I left me knives at the scene of the crime. Well shit. Anyway, Brian and James ate him."

"Brian and James?"

"Me wolves! Keep up, Arthur! Jeeeeyzus!"

Arthur snorted from his throat. "Sorry, go ahead."

"Well, some guy saw that happen and blamed me fer the wolves ruuuuuude but timely behavior. I was gonna die, but they saved me," Lilly sighed drunkenly. "So I had tah get me boys tah herd him back, I threatened him, yadda...yadda yadda yadda! Then, oh, the plot twist! Are ya ready fer the god damn plot twist?!"

His lips puckered in and he nodded. "Mmhmm."

"Fuckin' Swanson got his foot stuck in the...haaaaahahaha! The feckin' bridge and I got him out just before a train was gonna hit us! And he almost fell off the bridge and then he had the feckin' gall tah yell at me about what me problem was fer almost throwin' him off a bridge! And then I told him we had tah go home and then he said somethin' about havin' tea with Margaret, whoever the fuck that is! And he passed out. Again! I put the bastard on Liath...oh, by the way, I looooove the horse ya got me! Thank ya kindly, me intimate and thorough lover!"

Arthur bit his lip and looked at Dutch and Hosea. "How long has she been like this?" he laughed.

"A bit," Dutch chuckled with delight.

"ARTHUR!" Lilly shouted.

Arthur swerved his head back. "Yep, sorry."

"So, I named the horse Liath. Ya know that means grey in Gaeilge? But yeah, I took Swanson, the motherless bitch, back here! And dragged him to his tent because I wasna gonna give him the satisfaction er courtesy of carryin' his arse! And...yeah, everyone knows the...the rest. Ask them. Except about what I said about the bedsheets."

Arthur's eyes widened. "What did you say about the bedsheets?"

"I...may have let it slip that ya was scrubbin' come stains outta it," she whispered. Arthur put his head in her lap and laughed himself into a fit. "I think it slipped out so ya could mark yer territory and so ya can strut yer peacock feathers about!"

This made Arthur laugh harder. He looked at her and palmed his chin. "Oh my God, Lillian. Did you have another long day?"

"Yes," she slobbered a kiss on him. "Now, I know I had a nap already but would it be unreasonable if I had another? I did have a looong day. But, wait...why did ya take so long scrubbin' out sheets? Here I been ramblin' on and on about me day. How was yer day, mo chuisle?"

"There, she's all cleaned up," Strauss interrupted. "Miss Lilly, you mentioned your stomach?"

With a snap of her fingers and a wink to Strauss, she lifted her shirt up. Lilly looked down and saw a massive bruise on her ribs and stomach. "Yeah. That knocked the wind right outta me when the big burly bastard kicked me. He kicked me face, Arthur. That was uncalled for and rude!"

Arthur kissed her hands. "Will she be okay?"

"I believe so, Mr. Morgan," Strauss said with a smile. "I don't think anything is broken but I suggest she go and sleep off the whiskey and rest."

Arthur nodded. "Thank you, Herr Strauss. Can you walk, sweetheart?"

Lilly shook her head. "Uh huh."

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "Okay, I think that answers my question." Arthur lifted Lilly and cradled her in his arms gently. "Let's get you to bed, mo grá."


	13. The To-Do List

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for sexual content.

_Come on, Arthur," 17-year-old Lilly murmured excitedly. "Show up already..."_

_She was hiding in the woods, and it was in the evening. Lilly had on blue jean shorts and a ted and white plaid button shirt, tucked in and sleeves rolled up. And barefoot, as was her usual thing to do. Nothing felt better than the land beneath her bare feet. It felt energizing somehow. Lilly's wavy auburn hair hung loosely around her shoulders as she sat on a branch of a giant oak tree. She'd been waiting for some time now. They'd started a hunting ritual the day she single handedly took on twenty-five O'Driscolls. The hate she had for Colm O'Driscoll, the leader of that gang, ran deep. Real deep. She remembered what the death of Annabel did to Dutch, and Colm was the one responsible for her death._

_Lilly didn't care if it was in retaliation. That woman and Bessie, Hosea's wife, were like mothers to her. Lilly called her "Ma", while Bessie was "Máthair". They both died when she was younger, but their absence affected her deeper than she would dare acknowlegde. How many family members did she have to keep losing? One leg hung loosely off the branch while the other was held up. Lilly's chin rested on her knee. It was her "lost in thought" position. And she was very much lost in her thoughts. People she cared about died around her. Would she lose everyone else too? No, that was a ridiculous thought. Lilly couldn't think like that. And she'd gone off track with her original thought. The hunting game._

_Lilly waited a long time for Arthur to see her as a woman and not a little girl. She hadn't wanted Arthur to feel uncomfortable with a little girl flirting with him, so she waited. She sharpened her claws on other men and boys to pass the time. They gave in too easily and it was not much of a challenge. But Arthur? He was more than she could've hoped for. Strong, challenging, and bold. Very bold. The way he touched her on these occasions made her shiver just thinking about it. No one else dared lay a hand on her but that day on the shore of the lake, after goading and teasing him, Arthur pulled Lilly close and introduced her to a whole new world of emotions she just couldn't identify. His hands on her body made Lilly's heart race, her skin prickle with goosebumps, and her respirations damn near went out of control. And the way he would look at her when they were in camp and not engaging in their game? Good God, sometimes her knees would almost buckle._

_Still lost in thought, she did not hear Arthur sneak up on her in the tree. Before she could register his presence, he was behind her and his arms pulled her close in one quick jerk. "Hello, beautiful."_

_She yelped in surprise. "Oh God, Arthur, you startled me!"_

_He pulled her hair away from one side of her neck and nuzzled her shoulder. "Never thought I could do that. No one can sneak up on you."_

_"I guess I was distracted."_

_"By what?"_

_"Things." she sounded sad._

_Nails dragged across her inner thigh and Lilly moaned softly. "You sound upset but I can make you feel so much better, O'Callaghan."_

_"I bet you can," Lilly chuckled. "Tell me how you're gonna accomplish that, Morgan."_

_Arthur's lips grazed her ear. "I've been thinkin' we should go swimmin'."_

_Lilly scoffed with disappointment. "Swimmin'? That's nice, I guess."_

_Arthur's throat rumbled with a low chuckle. "Swimmin' naked, Lillian," he said, low and husky. "Right now."_

_A deep breath automatically took Lilly over. Oh God. She pivoted her neck to eyeball him with a smirk. "Sounds like a plan. Let's go."_

_Lilly climbed down faster than usual. She was feeling exhilarated by this new idea. Lilly landed on the ground and went running for the lake. "Hey, wait up!"_

_"Nope! Gotta be fast if ya want tah hunt me, Arthur Morgan!" she laughed._

_The lake came into view and she looked around. Good. No one was around. Lilly declothed immediately and spotted a low hanging branch over the water. Huh. Would it be sturdy enough to hold her? Lilly ran for the tree and climbed. When she got to the branch, she pushed on ot. Pretty sturdy. Lilly walked. out on it and giggled as she kneeled and turned around waiting for Arthur. He came bounding out from the tree line like a buck running freely just because. He spotted her clothes, smiled, and looked around for her._

_"Lillian!" Arthur unbuttoned and removed his blue shirt. Lilly immediately felt her mouth open. He had more hair than she remembered, but he was still pretty...chiseled. And he had a trail of hair leading down to his manhood. Good Lord, what a man. He unbuckled his pants, kicked off his boots, and let his pants drop. Lilly covered her mouth. Oh my God. His dingle dangle. He was a good distance away so Lilly couldn't see too many details but it looked a more than decent size, not that she had a frame of reference. "Lilly! I'm gonna find ya!" Arthur shouted with a cackle, then he got into the water._

_Lilly crawled further out on the branch like the creature of stealth she was. Arthur went swimming out farther. When Lilly was at the farthest she could go, she whistled at Arthur. He jerked around and grunted. Now for a little will breaking. Lilly slowly stood and she stood proudly._

_"See anythin' ya like, Arthur?" He was still a far enough distance but Lilly could see the look on his face well enough. Like he was having a stroke. Surprisingly, he swam closer and Lilly sat down with her legs dangling. Interesting. Her head cocked to the side and a slow smile appeared on her lips. "Ooooh, someone's bein' bold."_

_Arthur was pretty close now and Lilly chuckled at him. Arthur smiled up at her. "I didn't think goddesses were real, but now..." he laughed. "God damn, Lillian. You're the most beautiful thing I done seen in all my life."_

_Lilly's eyes widened and her heart melted like hot butter. "...Arthur..." her cheeks blushed as she squeaked out his name. "Ahem, Arthur," she said more clearly. "Flattery is beneath you."_

_Arthur let out a cackle. "Are you fishin' for compliments?"_

_"Maaaybe."_

_"Well get down here and I'll give you plenty more, you gorgeous little angel."_

_Lilly's mouth parted. The expression on Arthur's face showed he meant every single word. She slipped off the branch and went completely underneath. When she popped up, Arthur was right in front of her. "Oh, hi."_

_He smiled at her. No, Arthur was beaming at her. "_ _You're still too young, but at least you turn 18 tomorrow."_

_"What does that have to do with anythin'?"_

_"I'll be less of a dirty old man."_

_Lilly chuckled. "You do realize the age of sexual consent is 16, right?" Lilly said as she around him in circles._

_"...It is? When did they raise it to 16?"_

_"1885."_

_"Huh."_

_"I still don't understand why I'm too young for you Arthur. Clearly I'm a woman and I can make my own decisions."_

_"Yes but you're still very young."_

_"So? You're 32. I don't care about your age, I care about you." Lilly stopped swimming. What the hell did she just say?_

_Arthur smiled at her. "Ah, was that a flaw in the hunter's shield I just heard?"_

_Lilly gulped. She did care about Arthur. Immensely. And she just realized that. No, she'd always cared about him. She was fond of him, even. But how she felt just now was different. It was more intense. It was...well, she knew it was sexual. No, did she? Ack, now Lilly was confused. Is that why she wanted this so much? No, of course not. She didn't actually want to have sex with him...right?_

_"Earth to Lillian," he teased. Lilly looked at him with widened eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked._

_"I...I need to go!" she turned around and started swimming towards the shore._

_"Lilly! Come back! What's wrong?"_

_"I gotta go!" Lilly got to shore and grabbed her clothes. She put on her shirt but Lilly heard Arthur wading through the water behind her. "Just...I gotta go!" Lilly picked up her shorts and ran._

_Once she got a good distance from Arthur, Lilly got her shorts on and began buttoning her shirt as she walked. What the hell just happened? Why did she panic like that? Arthur probably thought she was an idiot. No, she wanted to stop thinking about all of it. Lilly had to get back to camp and take her mind off it. Maybe she should go hunting. Actual hunting. For food. Like a buck. Shit. Once again, she was lost in her thoughts, and once again, Lilly didn't hear Arthur behind her. He grabbed her and turned her around._

_"Lillian, are you okay?" he asked in a serious tone._

_"I...I don't..." Lilly started trembling._ _"Why am I feelin' like this right now?"_

_Arthur palmed both her cheeks. "Heyheyheyhey," he whispered while looking into her eyes. "You're okay, just relax. Breathe."_

_"I can't breathe!"_

_Arthur held her to him and she buried her face into the crook of his neck. "It's okay, you're okay."_

_Lilly suddenly realized he did not have a shirt on. Shit. She had her palms on his chest. She'd never touched his bare chest before. Double shit. Lilly pulled back and stared at it. Triple shit. Her heart raced and she started trembling again. Her hands explored his chest and she gazed at Arthur. This was...something new. Was it new?_

_"Arthur...I..." She searched his eyes for answers. "Am I feelin'...do I..."_

_Arthur and Lilly closed the gap immediately and began to kiss passionately. Arthur tore her shirt off. "I need you, Lillian."_

_Lilly nodded. "I need you."_

_They both got the other's clothes off and Lilly went to the forest floor. Arthur hovered over her for a moment and pushed himself into her. Lillian yelped in surprise but when Arthur pumped into her, it felt incredible. They continued kissing as Arthur went faster._

_"I'm sorry, but I...I gotta have you. I love you."_

_Lilly stared up at him. "I love you."_ _Arthur laughed and went back to kissing her._ _Lilly moaned and put her arms around him. "Tell me again, Arthur."_

 _He nuzzled her ear and Lilly moaned louder as he increased his pace. "I love you, piccolo fiore..."_ _[little flower...]_

_Lilly's blood went cold. "What did you just say?"_

_"I love you, piccolo fiore," was repeated but it was no longer Arthur's voice. Lilly pushed him up and screamed. It was Papa._

_Lilly woke up in her bed and fell out of it. Her whole body was sweaty and shaking._

_"You okay, Lilly?" Arthur asked. It was dark and he was in the corner._

_"Y-Yeah...had a bad dream."_

_"Not your usual night terror?"_

_"No. It started out with you and me skinny dippin' and...we were havin' sex." Why did she just tell him that?_

_"Oh...Well," Lilly saw his form stand up and walk to her. "Perhaps I can arrange that to really happen, if you want me to do it."_

_Lilly shook her head. "Not just now. I..."_

_Arthur picked her up, threw her onto the bed violently and slapped her in the face. "You will pay for your insolence, girl!" Papa's voice boomed. Arthur got on top of her and slapped her again. "You are mine, piccolo fiore! You will not leave me again!" Lilly_ _screamed as Arthur became Papa once again._

Lilly sat up immediately in her bed and was breathing heavily. Her whole body was soaked in sweat and she was shaking fiercely. She was in her night shift. Arthur lit a lantern and put a hand on her shoulder. He was only wearing black pants. "Are you okay?"

Lilly looked at him and nodded. "Yeah," she breathed out. "Just a bad dream."

"Do you need your tea?"

"No. I'm fine. Really. Just..." Lilly got up and grabbed her pack of cigarettes. "I been havin' too many of these lately," she sighed as she lit one up. Lilly inhaled the smoke and grunted it out. "Okay..."

"You wanna talk about the dream?"

"Not really, no." Lilly saw him frown. "I know, I know. You want to know things, I get it," she went back to the bed and sat down. "I'll tell ya somethin' else, but not the dream."

"Okay."

Lilly took another puff. "Remember when I was talkin' about Sir Liam and my father bein' childhood friends?"

"Yes."

"I had an arranged marriage with his son."

Arthur gaped at her and she grinned at him. "What? So, you were gonna be a...a..."

"Countess."

"Jesus."

Lilly gave him the cigarette. "Yeah...all of us kids had arranged marriages with the Nolan kids."

"Are they still alive?"

"Probably."

"How old was your...betrothed?"

Lilly shook her head with a grin. "Fifteen, I believe."

Arthur coughed while inhaling. "You were gonna marry a feller ten years older than you?"

"Yes," she giggled. "I was used to the idea of bein' betrothed to someone twice my age. So...that's pretty much why I don't mind you bein' older. You're a man and little boys can't handle me."

An amused chuckle came out of Arthur. "That is a fact. Wait, if he's alive, won't he come lookin' for you?"

"Ha! If he was goin' to, he would've found me by now."

"Good, because I'll be damned if some...rich boy comes and steals my woman."

Lilly laughed. "As if he could, my love. No no, if Patrick...John..." Lilly squinted her eyes as she tried to remember all his names. The boy had so many. "Ah! Patrick John Finnley Alexander Nolan! If he comes for me, he'll get me over my dead body." Arthur's face went pale. He looked like he just swallowed a live eel. "What's wrong, mo chuisle? Are ya not feelin' well?"

"I think I ate somethin' earlier that didn't agree with me." Arthur kissed her, then his face scrunched up with confusion. "So, this Patrick guy...he's the Earl of Galway?"

"That's right. Unless Sir Liam is still alive. But if he's not, Patrick is the 12th Earl of Galway." Lilly made a confused face. "Are you sure you're alright, my love?"

"Yes. I'm okay. I uh...I guess I don't feel well at all. I need to uh...go do a business."

Lilly snickered.. "Well go, then, before ya go in yer pants!"

Arthur got up and marched out of the tent. Lilly sighed and laid back down. "Hmm, haven't thought of that boy in a long time. Wonder what he's up to...hmm." Lilly shrugged and got under the covers. As she waited for Arthur, though, Lilly ended up drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Lilly woke up the next morning refreshed. Her fight was only a few days ago but she was already on the mend. As she sat up, she noticed some new additions to the tent. There was a vanity table now with a mirror. There was also a small bookcase and a comfortable looking dark blue reading chair. Huh. Well, that was nice. Arthur was just outside. Lilly assumed he was shaving.

"Ah! Dammit!" he growled.

Lilly giggled. Yep. He was shaving. She got out of bed and put on a tan button down shirt, blue jeans, and black western boots. Lilly went to the vanity table and began to brush her hair. Arthur walked in as he was wiping his face. "You really should get a decent shaver, Arthur."

"I ain't got time to shave like a gentleman."

Lilly snorted. As Lilly glanced at him through the mirror, she smirked when he bent over in his black pants. God, she loved his arse.

"What are you up to?"

"Just admirin' the scenery of your wonderful and manly arse."

Arthur stood up immediately and looked at her in the mirror. He burst out laughing. "You are such a shit."

"Why? Because I like yer butt?"

Arthur laughed again and stood behind her. "Yes. Flattery is beneath you."

Lilly's smile disappeared for a moment, but then she smiled up at him. "I love what ya done to the place, mo chuisle. Thank you."

Arthur leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "Maybe we could expand a little bit more. The boys could come and sleep in here when they're ready. We could get them a rug."

Lilly laughed and kissed his hand. "We could just get a house. Or a bungalow. Leave the country and grow bananas for a livin'," she snorted.

Arthur chortled. "So..." he cleared his throat. "I need to run a couple things by you."

"Okay?"

"First thing is I gotta go collect debts for Strauss. Nobody else will."

Lilly's face went blank. "You know how I feel about that, but you are your own man, my love. You can do as you please, even if I don't like it."

"I don't like it, but someone's gotta do it."

Lilly rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Why can't he go himself?"

"He ain't scary."

A huff of hot air came out of her mouth. Fuck it. "Then I'll do it."

"...Seriously?"

"Yes. You don't like doin' it so I'm willin' to step up and let you play hookey."

Arthur knelt down and kissed her. "You wonderful, wonderful woman."

"I love you too." She rubbed her thumb on his face. "So, what's the other thing?"

"Well, I was gonna ask if you could go into town for me, find some things out, but-"

"Oh hell. Ya know I can do that too. I've had too many days off. It's your turn to take one or two days off for yourself."

"Thanks, darlin', but now that I think about it, I need to run into town anyway. Gotta meet up with Charles, Javier, and Bill."

"Ain't no rest for the wicked," Lilly sighed casually and turned to look at him. "Especially since you got added to my "to-do" list," Lilly said with a playful smirk.

It made Arthur laugh. "You're on mine too, you know. More than once. You fill up half the page." He kissed her neck. "Oh, speaking of lists, here's the unfortunates Strauss lent money to."

Lilly grabbed the list and put it in her own bag as she kissed Arthur. "Thank you. Meet you later when I'm done? Maybe we'll..." she stood, grabbed Arthur by the head, and pulled him to her with a passionate kiss. "...cross off some of the things on our lists." Lilly slapped his butt and Arthur cackled as she ambled through the flaps. "Love you!"

"Love you too!" Arthur shouted happily.

Lilly smiled as she looked around the camp. She thought about having breakfast first but she settled for coffee. Then again...nope. She needes food. After getting both the coffee and the stew, Lilly sat down and began chowing down. Lilly made quick work of it and went jogging over to her horse while quickly greeting people. Lilly jumped onto Liath and pulled out the list.

"Hmm, let's see...Chick Matthews, Mr. Wróbel, and Miss..." Lilly saw the name and started laughing. "Lilly Millet! Ah shit, that's funny. Heh. Well, I'm gonna save her for last." Lilly decided to go to Painted Sky, the place Mr. Wróbel lived. As she left the tree line, Lilly saw Brian and James waiting for her. "Hey boys. Come along."

* * *

Arthur watched Lilly leave and sighed glumly. The things she told him last night...he was not happy it. Not just about her arranged marriage. Arthur _knew_ the man was looking for Lilly because he'd met the man years ago.

* * *

_29-year-old Arthur, in a black shirt, blue paisley vest, dark blue slacks, black cowboy like boots, and pomade in his barely short brown hair went walking into the local saloon in the state of Iowa. He'd heard good things about this place. He went to the bar and sat down. There was a very rich looking, well dressed young man sitting about seven stools down. He had a black suit with a gold pocket watch chain hanging off his red silk vest. He had a black bowler cap. The black hair underneath was short, he had a dimpled chin, and he was clean shaven. There were other patrons but this guy stuck out the most. He was drinking a scotch. Arthur sat and ordered a whiskey. Arthur tossed a coin on the bar and drank from his glass._

_"Do ya have another Scotch coming, barkeep?" the fancy man asked glumly. His Irish accent was thick. He had to be drunk._

_"Yes sir, but I think this should be your last one."_

_The man waved. "Ya may be roight, man. Verra roight indeed."_

_The keep slid him another scotch. Arthur ordered another whiskey. "What's wrong with him?"_

_"Oh, some nobleboy from Ireland._ _Not sure whatwhat's wrong with him."_

_"I am looking fer my betrothed!" the young man shouted. "If yer so curious as tah what my bloody plight is, then all ya have tah do is ask me!"_

_Arthur shrugged. "Fair enough." Arthur grabbed his drink and ambled over to sit next to the man. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean no offense."_

_The young man laughed bitterly. "Yer the only American that means no offense tah me. This blooming country is not kind tah Irish folks."_

_"Americans aren't kind people in general."_

_Both the men chuckled. "Yes, well, it just makes me all the more...frustrated."_

_Arthur held out his hand. "Arthur Morgan."_

_The young man shook it. "Patrick John Finnley Alexander Nolan."_

_"Ha! That's quite a name!"_

_"Yes, my father was very insistent I carry a lot of me ancestors names, may he rest in peace."_

_"I'm sorry for your loss. Is that what your plight is?" Arthur asked as he took a drink from his glass._

_"No," Patrick laughed. "But he charged me with a task before he passed. Said I had tah "honor the agreement that was made" between him and an old friend."_

_"What was the agreement?"_

_Patrick lowered his head and removed his hat. "I had an arranged marriage tah a young lass, but then she and her family had tah flee the country. I am not sure as tah why, but it was a bad business."_

_"I see. And now you're tryin' to find her?"_

_"Yes. We originally thought the whole family died on a ship on the way here, but then we were told about the girl's brother dying somewhere in Lemoyne, and he left a relative behind. A little sister._ _So now I need to bring her home, marry her, and help her reclaim her title. But the search hasn't turned up a lot. She always was a sneaky little thing._ _"_

_"Hmm, she's a noble, huh?"_

_"Yes. Second Countess of Moycullen. Her father Sir Jack had been knighted and granted the title years ago. Me father helped with that but, uh...Sir Jack certainly earned it if the stories ring true."_

_"What did he do?"_

_"Well, if the legend is true, he killed a god. Well, goddess, actually. She uh, was causing serious mayhem to the country. People blamed her for the famines we had and, well...honestly, I think she was just some witch or someone with an undying hate for potatoes."_

_Arthur laughed at the last line. "That's quite a story."_

_"Well, stories like that often are based on truth but it's been by word of mouth and Irish people like to boast. And they will exaggerate as they keep on boasting."_

_"We got people like that here too." Arthur took another drink. "So, are you a nobleman, then?"_

_Patrick took a big chug of scotch. "Yes. Twelfth Earl of Galway."_

* * *

Arthur rubbed his face as he sat down on the bed. He'd been up almost the whole night thinking about it. And when he came back in after calming himself down, she was asleep. So Arthur watched Lilly sleep. He kissed her as she slept. Held her as she slept. He thought about what Lilly told him, and about what Patrick Nolan told him. Arthur didn't care about Lilly being a noble. He didn't care about her father being a god slayer. All he cared about was if Patrick Nolan, Twelfth Earl of Galway, ever found Lillian, she could be forced to go home. To Ireland. To retake her noble claim and marry that man. Arthur bent over and held his head. He knew Lilly would fight the Irish nobleman tooth and nail. No, teeth and knives was a more accurate method for Lilly. He remembered when Lilly told him about how she killed every one of those men in the carriage just before the accident. Lilly ripped one's throat out with her teeth. The others? Only her knives were used.

But she wasn't invincible. Hell, Lilly was dead for about two minutes. Arthur made an oath that day to protect that little girl until the day he died, and while she was no longer a little girl, his oath still applied. He was still her guardian; her protector. Her Fear Álainn. Arthur loved her so much, and he finally got to have her after years of waiting, but to possibly lose her in the future? Nope. He remembered how that felt, her being taken from him, and that was not going to happen a second time. Not if he had anything to say about it...and Arthur had plenty to say about it. As her guardian, he knew what he had to do. He got dressed in a white shirt, a blue vest, black pants, and his boots. As he raced out of the tent, Arthur saw Dutch and Hosea talking at a table and he walked to them with purpose in his step.

Dutch saw him and smiled. "Ah, Arthur. You look like you got a bone to pick with someone."

Arthur stopped in front of them both. He almost lost his nerve but he swallowed hard and straightened his back. "I am informin' you both of my intention to marry Lilly."

The two fathers exchanged glances before looking back at Arthur. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm goin' to propose to Lilly. If either one of you object, I-"

Dutch guffawed joyfully. "Object? Are you kiddin' me?! Don't you know me at all? We are outlaws. We are free men. We have a code, yes, but we essentially get to do what we please. And son, nothin' would please me more than for you and Lilly to get married. Ha!" Dutch took a gander at Hosea. "Are you hearin' this? Don't you agree this is wonderful news?"

"Yes, I do," Hosea said with a genuine smile. "Well, what are you standin' around here for?! Where is the little varmint?"

"She's out collectin' debts," Arthur replied. Both the men went slack-jawed. Arthur rolled his eyes. "I was gonna go, but she offered to go herself."

Dutch stood up. "You got a ring?"

"No. I was gonna head to town and buy one."

"Ha! Well, you ain't doin' that! Come on!" Dutch walked over to his tent and the other men followed. "Molly, sweetheart, I know you don't like it when I bring this up but do you know where Annabelle's box is?"

"Yes I do, Dutch," Molly sighed. "It's in the chest. What's the occasion this time?"

Dutch laughed and went searching. "Arthur Morgan here has decided to make a claim for Lilly's hand in marriage. So...aha! There you are!" As Dutch pulled a small wooden box with 'Annabelle' carved into it, Molly smiled at Arthur.

"Are ya serious, Arthur? You and Lilly?" she asked.

Arthur rubbed the back of his head. "Yes, heh heh."

"You two are in love?"

"Oh, Molly, don't play dumb. You know those two been soft on each other for years."

Arthur grunted. That was a little embarassing. "Were we that obvious?"

Dutch opened the box and started rummaging around through the bobbles and trinkets. "Yes. You think we didn't know about your skinny dippin' sessions?" Dutch looked up at Arthur with a cock-eyed grin. "All the flirtin'? The _real_ heavy flirtin'?"

Arthur went bright red in the face. "You...ahem, how did you know?"

"You both had admirers. You, especially, you handsome devil," Dutch mocked before swiping through the stuff.

"No, I think Lilly had the bulk of admirers," Hosea interrupted. "Men just flocked to her from all corners of the globe."

Dutch pulled out a small blue velvet box. He gave it to Arthur, who sighed and opened it. It was a gold ring with a decent sized diamond on it. "Wow. That is a beauty, Dutch. This was Annabelle's ring?"

"Yes. I..." Dutch looked at Molly who only shrugged as she fanned herself.

"It's alright, my love. This is a special occasion," a smile formed on Molly's face as she spoke.

Dutch chuckled deeply. "You are truly the bell of the ball, my dear."

"What can I say, Dutch? I aim for beauty," she sighed happily.

Dutch gave her a loving smile then looked at Arthur. "That was Annabelle's engagement ring. I proposed to her with it."

Arthur gaped at Dutch. "You did? Why didn't you go through with it?"

Dutch laughed. "She kept turning me down."

"Oh Dutch!" Molly snapped. "You can't use a ring that a woman already turned down! It's bad luck!"

"She eventually said yes!"

"You give him that ring and Lilly turns him down, Arthur will be devastated!"

"Yes but...well," Dutch looked at the box and sighed in defeat. "Yes, you are correct, Molly. And it isn't exactly practical, either. Lilly would be snaggin' it on everythin'."

Arthur laughed and handed Dutch back the box. "So...I guess I'll be goin' into town."

"Not just you," Hosea said. "We're goin' too. Right Dutch?'

Dutch was still staring at the ring in the box. "Yes."

"You okay Dutch?"

"Hmm." Dutch looked at Molly and smiled. "I love you, Molly, and I would like to make a grand gesture."

"What's that, Dutch? You gonna give me an unlucky ring now?" Molly joked.

"No." He walked behind the tent to the collection box. He opened it, took the ring out, and sighed as he looked at Molly. She was just as shocked as the other two bystanders. Dutch kissed the ring, put it in the collection box, and shut the lid with a pat. He went to Molly and kissed her. "I know I've been-"

Molly kissed him to shut him up. "I love ya, Dutch. You need not say anythin' more."

Arthur and Hosea cleared their throats. Dutch kissed Molly's cheek and walked with the other men to the horses. "Does Valentine even have a jeweley store?" Dutch asked.

"Yes." Hosea replied. "Last time I was there, they did anyway."

"Any good selections?"

"Not at the time."

"Well," Arthur said as he mounted up. "If we're goin' for practical, I don't think we can get anythin' flashy."

"Women don't like bein' skimped out on engagement rings, Arthur."

"I ain't skimpin'." The three men trotted out of camp. "This is Lilly. She's more sentimental than materialistic. But I do want somethin' a bit more original to give her."

"Like what?"

"Not a diamond. No, I think...a sapphire will do. Or an emerald. Hmm, maybe both."

"Why those two?" Hosea asked.

Arthur laughed. "Emerald for Ireland. Sapphire for her eyes."

* * *

Lilly peeked into a tree hole and smiled. "Aha!" She reached into the darkness and pulled out a money clip. "God, I love treasure hunts!" Lilly exclaimed with glee.

Chick Matthews was hogtied on the back of Lilly's horse Liath. "Okay, you got the money. Can I go now please?" Brian and James growled up at Chick and he yelped.

Lilly tucked the money into her satchel. "Don'tcha want a ride back to the farm, Mr. Matthews?"

"...You ain't mad that I made you chase me?"

"Of course not." Lilly cut his bonds loose. "I love chasin' men and I love treasure hunts." Lilly got on her horse as Chick sat up behind her. "Huntin' too, but I suppose that goes with the chasin' bit. Come on, boys.'"

"You like chasin' men?"

Lilly giggled as they rode back in the direction of Guthrie Farm. Brian and James ran behind her. "Yes."

"You're a hunter too, huh?"

"I've a big ole' skillset, Mr. Matthews. Outlaw. Gunslinger. Archer. Knife wielder. Melee combat fighter. Expert climber. Stealth. Hunter. Wolf...uh...Charmer, I guess? Temptress. And I guess loan shark is on it now, much as I hate bein' one."

"You don't like loan sharkin'?"

"I despise debtors and loan sharks more than I despise snakes, although I think they're all the same thing: snakes."

"Then why are you doin' this?" He yelped when Liath jumped over something and he clung to her.

Lilly turned her head to catch Chick in her peripherals with a smirk. "Gettin' a little friendly there, ain't ya?" she giggled.

"Oops, sorry." Chick let go. "Please don't hurt me."

"I havena done nothin' tah ya!"

"You tied me up and shouted at me!"

Lilly chuckled. "Yes, I did. my shoutin' tends to scare the shite outta people."

"It certainly scared me! What kind of woman are you?!"

"The kind who is a needle in a haystack...that's on fire." Lilly saw the farm in the distance. "Hmm, there it is, Mr. Matthews." Lilly increased Liath's pace to a gallop.

When they got near enough, Chick got off. "Well, thank you for the ride," he said with a smile. He reached into his farm pouch, but then his face went whiter than ever. "Uh oh."

Lilly smirked. "Lose somethin'?"

"Yes! My damn chore list! Ugh, Guthrie is gonna kill me!" Lilly laughed, reached into her satchel and shook the list in his face. He snatched it and gaped up at her. "What the hell?"

"Sorry. Pranks and pickpocket are also in my skillset." Lilly winked at him and rode off on Liath with the boys tailing behind her. Lilly was wanting to hurry this up. She wanted to get back to Arthur and...do things. As Lilly approached Emerald Farm, she heard a couple shouting.

"Do you have any idea of the hole I'm in?" a woman shouted. Lilly smirked as she slowed Liath to a walk.

"Oh come on!" a man shouted back. "Why's it always gotta be such a god damn performance with you? Now I told you I'd get you the money next week. And I'll get it." Lilly chuckled to herself. This had to be Lilly Millet.

"If you didn't make it this week, who's to say you'll make it next?"

"Don't you take that tone with me!" Lilly stifled a giggle. He sounded like Arthur. Oh, him and the _tones_. He hated her tones. "I thought you said you loved me!" Lilly rolled her eyes when she saw the couple on a bench. That line was definitely not Arthur.

"I do! I do! But what I get paid ain't enough for one person, let alone two! Your money's gotta be your problem now!"

Lilly got off her horse and smiled. "The only problem I got is this bleatin' goin' on in my ear! Now lay off it, Lilly! God dammit!"

Lillian snorted from her throat and started laughing into a fit. Oh, this was priceless. The couple looked at her. "Excuse me," the woman in the dress said. "Just what are you laughin' at?"

Lillian held her stomach. "I'm sorry...hahaha! Ya two fight like me man and I fight! It's feckin' adorable! I tried not to interrupt but then he, heheheheeee," she pointed at the man. "He said 'god dammit' and I just lost it!"

"...Oh. Well, who are you?"

Lillian smiled at the woman. "Ah. Yes. You may call me Miss O'Callaghan." She approached the woman. "I'm uh, here about your loan, Miss Millet."

"I...I'm sorry. I don't have it right now."

"Oh, I know, Miss Lilly. I assumed that. So," Lillian tucked her arms behind her and started pacing leisurely. "Any suggestions on how to rectify this problem?"

"I...no."

"Hmm, okay." Lilly looked at the man. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, sir."

"That's because I didn't give it," the man said with a snarky tone.

"Cooper!" Lilly snapped nervously. "Be nice!"

"Why? You think this little girl is gonna-" Cooper's hat went flying off his head and got pinned to the wall behind him. There was a knife sticking out of it. The man and Lilly backed up from it.

The temporary loan shark tsk tsk'd the man. "You really shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, sir," Lillian warned with a playful smirk. "See, addressin' me as 'little girl' tends to make me a wee bit knife happy, as I'm sure you can see. Now, let's try this again. I am Miss O'Callaghan. Who are you, sir?"

"...Sorry. M-My apologies, Miss O'Callaghan. I'm Cooper."

"Excellent. Much more pleasant when polite and courteous behavior is involved. Especially with this sort of...hmm, dilemma. Wouldn't you agree, Miss Millet?"

"Y-Yes, of c-course." Lilly stumbled over her words.

"Oh, no need to be so frightened, Miss Lilly. I can't hurt anyone who got my name."

"...Your name is Lilly?"

Lillian cackled as her pacing continued. "Small world, ain't it?"

"Yes," the other Lilly giggled.

"Ah, shite. Well, here's the thing, Miss Millet. You owe a debt, I need to bring said debt to Strauss. I know you don't have the money, so..." Lilly tilted her head to one side and pivoted to stand in front of Cooper. "Would you like to be a chivalrous gentleman and help Miss Lilly out in her hour of need, sir?"

"Well what makes you think I got money?"

Lillian huffed with a shrug. "Well, sir, she gave you money and you haven't paid it back. Therefore, you can kill two birds with one stone and resolve not only her debt to Mr. Strauss but your debt to her as well. That sounds fair, doesn't it?"

Lilly smiled and crossed her arms. "I think you may be very right, Miss O'Callaghan."

Cooper looked at both of them. "You girls are gangin' up on me! I don't think-"

Lillian put a finger up. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but, uh," she looked at the indebted Lilly. "Miss, you may want to cover your ears for this. My next words will be...rather loud."

Lilly did as she was told. "Thank you for the warning."

"You're welcome.' Lilly lowered her finger, smiled at Cooper, and then her expression shifted from that of an angel to a devil. "BE A GOD DAMN MAN FER ONCE AND PAY FER YER WOMAN'S DEBT, YA CHEAP LOUSE! THEN APOLOGIZE TAH HER AND RUN AWAY WITH YER TAIL TUCKED BETWEEN YER LEGS, YA SPINELESS SELF ABSORBED TWAT!"

Cooper backed into the wall, took out money from his pockets and threw it at her before apologizing to both of them and running away. The other Lilly gaped at her. "Wow, that _was_ loud. How did you do that?"

Lillian shrugged. "It's a gift." She picked up all the money and laughed as she counted it. "What an eejit. I think he gave me all his money." Lillian stashed the debt and gave the rest back to the other Lilly. "Go on, I got the debt so you can keep this or give it back to Cooper. I do suggest you keep it to teach him a lesson, although I'm sure he's learned it by now."

Lilly walked up to her and took the money. "I...thank you, Miss O'Callaghan."

"Oh please, just call me Lilly." They both went into hysterics.


	14. How Many Languages?

Lilly returned to camp around early evening. The wolves still stayed outside the perimeter, of course, but they'd gotten some hunting done today as well. And it was a _big_ kill. Lilly slammed a bison skin down on Pearson's table with a thud. This startled the cook and he gaped at her.

"That should be good money, right?" Lilly asked she piled on multiple deer skins, some rabbit pelts, and even some boar skins. A bunch of meat and some skinned rabbits accompanied it all as she plopped those down too. "And these?"

Pearson guffawed. "You've been busy, haven't you?"

"Yes. Oh, and uh," Lilly reached into her satchel and pulled out some herbs. "Some oregano, mint, and thyme. For seasoning. I _love_ me some oregano flavored stuff."

Pearson laughed again. "As you wish, Hunter Extraordinaire."

Lilly laughed, gave him a lazy salute, and went over to the collections box. She put in Lilly's debt, then Chick's, then...she went and put her own money in for Mr. Wróbel's debt.

* * *

_Lilly rode up to Painted Sky and sighed. This was going to be difficult. She could tell already. Lilly dismounted, told the wolves to stay, and went and knocked on the door._

_The door opened to reveal who she assumed to be the debtee. He smiled. "Cześć. Czy mogę ci pomóc?"_ _[Hi. Can I help you?]_

_Shit. Polish. Lilly knew she was rusty in that one, so she decided to use short sentences. "Tak, uh..." she cleared her throat. Lilly hated this. "Twój dług musi zostać spłacony. Leopold Strauss?"_ _[Your debt must be paid off.]_

_"Oh. Um. Przepraszam, panienko. Nie mam tego. Potrzebuję więcej czasu."_ _[I'm sorry, miss. I do not have this. I need more time.]_

 _Great. He didn't have anything. Lilly took a deep breath in. "Alright, um...ile jesteś winien?" Lilly asked. He definitely looked like he had nothing._ _[How much do you owe?]_

 _"...Um..._ _trzydzieści cztery dolary i dziewięćdziesiąt cztery centy," he replied._ _[Thirty-four dollars and ninety-four cents.]_

 _Oh. Well, she definitely had that much. Should she pay it for him? Would that be too soft of her? Yes, it would be. "I uh...ahem...może masz przedmioty warte czegoś?" She really hoped he had something of value._ _[maybe you have items worth something?]_

 _Mr. Wróbel frowned, reached into his pocket, and handed her a pocketwatch. "Um, Warszawa?"_ _[Warsaw?]_

 _Lilly took it from him gently. "Wow. Imponujący. Warszawa. Bardzo trudny do zdobycia. Jak to zdobyłeś?"_ _[Impressive. Warsaw. Very hard to come by. How did you get it?]_

_"My wife. Present."_

_"Oh, well...proszę powiedzieć mojej żonie, że przykro mi to brać, proszę pana." Lilly said with a voice full of regret. She knew how important it was to keep things of sentimental value._ _[Please tell your wife that I'm sorry to take it, sir.]_

_"...Cannot..." Mr. Wróbel said with his head lowered._

_"Why?"_

_He motioned over to the side of the house. Shit. Lilly went and looked over. There were three gravestones. Her eyes shut. God dammit. She looked at Mr. Wróbel. "Trzy groby?"_ _[Three graves?]_

_"Twins. Childbirth bad."_

_Lilly closed her eyes again. "The whole family? Um...cała rodzina?"_ _[the whole family?]_

_"Yes."_

_Lilly opened the watch. There was a picture of Mr. Wróbel and his wife. They were in wedding attire. Lilly shook her head. Nope. She was not doing this. Lilly closed the watch, went back to Mr. Wróbel, put it in his shirt pocket, and patted it gently. "Dług zostaje zwolniony, proszę pana. Nie wezmę tego. Miłego dnia."_ _[The debt is released, sir. I won't take it. Have a nice day.]_

_Lilly turned to leave but he stopped her. "Why?"_

_Lilly sighed, went into her satchel, and pulled out her pocketwatch. She opened it and showed him the picture. "Moja cała rodzina. Nie żyje."_ _[My whole family. Dead.]_

_"...I sorry."_

_Lilly tucked the watch back in. "To było dawno temu. Byłem dzieckiem. Spłacę twój dług wobec Straussa."_ _[It was a long time ago. I was a child. I will pay off your debt to Strauss.]_

 _"You...Dziękuję Ci. Jestem wdzięczny. W twoim długu."_ _[Thank you. I am grateful. In your debt.]_

 _Lilly laughed. "No debt," she said as she held her hand up. "Wdzięczność jest w porządku."_ _[Gratitude is fine.]_

_Lilly smiled and walked away but he stopped her. "Miss?"_

_"Yes, Mr. Wróbel?"_

_"Tęsknię za polskim. Brakuje mi rozmowy. Czy chciałbyś zostać i porozmawiać? Mam późne śniadanie."_ _[I miss Polish. I miss the conversation. Would you like to stay and talk? I have a late breakfast.]_

_Lilly smiled at him. She had the whole day to collect the other two debts. "Sure. Tak. Byłoby cudownie." Lilly looked at Brian and James. "Stay, boys."_ _[Yes. It would be wonderful.]_

_She walked back to the house. Mr. Wróbel spotted the wolves and blinked. "Twoi przyjaciele? Czy chcieliby wejść?"_ _[Your friends? Would they like to come in?]_

 _Lilly raised a brow. Did he not know they were wild animals. "Tak? Um, tak. Brian, James, come on!"_ _[Yes. Um, yes.]_

_They all went into the house but the man explained why he was not scared. "I raise wolves in Poland."_

_"Huh, no kiddin'."_

_"Miss...uh...?_

_"O'Callaghan."_

_"Yes, please. Um..." he motioned to the table. "I serve. My treat."_

* * *

The memory was bittersweet. He lost his whole fanily, but he got a good Polish conversation and she got great tips on how to raise wolves. Lilly, however, was surprised to hear that James and Brian were still very young pups. About four months old, to be exact. And they were Mackenzie Valley Timberwolves. He explained they were the biggest wolves in the world and native to Canada. He knew a lot about every wolf types, both alive and extinct. Lilly patted the box with a soft smile and went looking for Strauss. He was sitting by the ledge reading.

"Herr Strauss, all the debts have been collected."

He turned to look at her. "Mr. Downes too?

"I didn't have a Downes on my list," Lilly stated wuth a grunt.

"Oh, my apologies, Miss O'Callaghan. Mr. Morgan has gone on that one. But, uh...I was surprised you offered to collect the others yourself. How did it go?"

"Easy as pie, Mr. Strauss. I may not approve of your preference of clientele, but I managed with very little violence."

He lowered his head and look at her from the top of his glasses. "Really?"

"I threatened...sort of. Mostly just talked with all of them. I...had a very nice time doin' it, if I must be honest." Lilly went and sat down next to him on the grass. "Especially with Mr. Wróbel. Poor man lost his wife and twin daughters from childbirth, but we had a very nice chat."

Herr Strauss cocked his head with a curious smile on his face. "You speak Polish?"

Lilly grinned at him. "And German." Actually, she spoke a lot of different languages but she wasn't about to tell him that. That was something she would not share with anyone...except Arthur, maybe. The closer they got, the more Lilly felt she could trust Arthur about things. With everything, though? Not just yet.

"Du sprichst wirklich meine Muttersprache?" _[You really speak my mother tongue?]_

Lilly laughed with delight. "Ja. Möchten Sie testen, wie viel ich weiß?" _[Yes. Would you like to test how much I know?]_

"Well, you are just full of surprises, Miss O'Callaghan. May I ask where you learned these languages?"

"...Well, I uh...

"If you prefer not to say, I will not push the issue." They both looked over at the horizon. "Do you wish to continue in German? I very much miss the conversation in my native tongue."

"Mr. Wróbel said the same thing. Ich verstehe. Ich vermisse Sean. Er spricht irisch. Ich vermisse es, irisch zu sprechen." _[I understand. I miss Sean. He speaks Irish. I miss speaking Irish.]_

"Du sprichst nicht mit Molly in Gaeilge?" he asked with an inquisitive look. _[You don't speak to Molly in Gaeilge?]_

"Ich rede manchmal mit Molly. Bei Sean ist das anders. Er ist wie ein Bruder für mich. Er und ich haben eine lange Geschichte." Lilly looked as if she was nostalgic and lost in a memory. _[I talk to Molly sometimes. It's different with Sean. He is like a brother to me. He and I have a long history.]_

"Do you not have a long history with Arthur?"

"I do. He helped raise me with Da and Athair, but they don't know things about my past. Well, Arthur knows some things, but...um..." Lilly paused and looked back out at the world. "Sean knows more."

"Does Sean know everything?

"Almost." Lilly chuckled. "He uh...he's very easy to talk to. Which...well, you're very easy to talk to as well, I find." She beamed at Strauss. "That is unexpected."

"Das ist unerwartet. Aber ich bin glücklich. Sie mögen mich vielleicht nicht, aber ich schätze Sie sehr. Wir alle respektieren dich." Strauss gave her a genuine smile as Lilly glanced over at him. _[That is unexpected. But I am happy. You may not like me, but I appreciate you very much. We all respect you.]_

"Ich denke, es war deine Arbeit, die mir nicht gefiel. Aber jetzt, wo ich Schulden gesammelt und mit dir geredet habe, bist du nicht so schlecht." Lilly said the last part jokingly. _[I think it was your job that I didn't like. But now that I've accumulated debt and talked to you, you're not that bad.]_

Strauss laughed. "Thank you, Miss O'Callaghan."

"You can call me Lilly, you know. My last name is a mouthful. Da ist Deutsch. Hawking loogies ist ein ernstes Geschäft." _[There is German. Erm, hawking loogies is serious business.]_

Strauss burst into laughter. "I can't imagine Gaeilge being any easier."

"It's not. You can hear the pronunciation but it's very hard to speak some of the words. 'H' is usually silent, but 's' is almost always pronounced with an 'h'. And the language has slender and broad consonants, long and short vowels, and the dipthongs..."

"Dipthongs?"

"When two vowels come together. For example, 'fear' means man. F-E-A-R. Sounds like...F-A-R. Growing up with the language makes it easier to master, but for a lot of people, they feel like their tongues grow two sizes when trying to speak it."

Strauss guffawed loudly. "I can see why Arthur finds it difficult, then. Tell me, though. Are there different dialects?"

"Yes. Mine is Connacht. That's the province in western Ireland. Sean's tongue is Ulster, which is northern but he is from Donegal so his place was more north west. Then there's Munster, which is east. There's the Leinster province, that's the east and south. They have their dialect too, but it's starting to die out. It's a shame, really. Well, all the Irish languages are being replaced by English and that is a shame. If I was able to bear children, I'd teach them Gaeilge"

"...Yes, your accident. That was a bad business, but at least it did not deter you from climbing trees."

"...Do you think it will affect my relationship with Arthur?"

"I shouldn't think so," Strauss frowned. "He loves you very much."

"Yes but how long will that last? I...I know it's early in the relationship, but I have thought about...the long term. The 'til death do us part' kind of long term. I think he'd want children, even after..." Lilly blinked a few times, then coughed and stood up. "I'm...I've been rambling on, I apologize."

"Lilly, it-"

"Excuse me, Herr Strauss. I...must retire for the evenin'. It was nice conversin' in German and I do hope we make it a habit."

"I would be delighted."

Lilly turned halfway but stopped. "...Also, if you have more debts that need be collected, I'll be more than happy to take them on. Just somethin' to consider." Lilly paced quickly over to her tent.

* * *

Arthur watched as Lilly raced back to the tent and frowned. He never knew she spoke German. He'd been eavesdropping, yes, but obviously not for the whole conversation. He'd just gotten there during her explanation of dipthongs. It was odd seeing her talk to Strauss as if they were old friends. Lilly was not fond of loan sharks. Still, what she said about her accident and her doubts about their relationship made hom feel awful. She had thought about marriage, so that was a good thing, and her inability to produce offspring did not bother him in the slightest. He'd already had a child. Isaac. But he died, as did Isaac's mother Eliza. He did not like thinking of it. Arthur thought about Lilly's accident, though...and all that blood.

* * *

_It was late spring at noon and_ _33-year-old Arthur was enjoying his lunch and coffee with Hosea when Dutch approached them. He looked angry and had a pair of shoes with honey dripping out of them. Arthur almost choked on his stew from cackling. Hosea burst into a wheezy laughing fit._

_"Hahaha! Ahem," Arthur coughed and slammed his chest with a fist. "I take it Lilly did that?"_

_"Yes. To ALL of my shoes."_

_Arthur looked down and noticed Dutch's bare feet. Hosea and him laughed again, even louder than before. "You want a pair of mine?" Hosea asked amusingly._

_"Yes, if you would be so kind. And socks, too."_

_Arthur gaped at Dutch. "Socks. Why?"_

_"...She put horse manure in all of 'em."_

_Arthur bit his lip trying not to laugh. Hosea, however, could not contain himself. "Did you piss her off?"_

_"No. She's gotten particularly nasty_ _as of late."_

_"No she hasn't," Arthur chuckled. "She's gettin' bolder with you. This is child's play compared to the shit she pulls on me."_

_Dutch and Hosea laughed. "Oh yeah. You do get the worst of it._ "

_"Well Dutch, let's go get you some socks and shoes. I got plenty to spare," Hosea commented. The two older gentlemen left Arthur to finish his meal._

_He wondered where Lilly ran off to. Probably the woods now that he thought about it. Hmm. Just then he saw a flash of light from a top one of the trees. Arthur took out his binoculars and looked through them. When he spotted the source of the light, a warm smile slowly formed on his face. It was Lilly. He saw her wave flamboyantly and he chuckled. He gave her a discreet wave back. He flipped the lenses to get a closer look and she was unbuttoning her blue plaid shirt which made him blush. Was she doing this now from a tree?! What an audacious little sex kitten she was. They weren't in a relationship. Not a normal one, anyway. They never kissed or engaged in sexual relations, but everything else was there_. _The heat, the dirty talk, the giggling...god, the way she giggled._ _Arthur was wrapped around her little finger. He laughed softly as Lilly put her back to him and showed Arthur all bare skin. The pants he wore got a bit tighter when his cock went half mast. Oh boy._

_She turned slightly and when Arthur got a glimpse of a breast, his jaw went slack. It was just the side but...her head turned and she arched a brow at him with a seductive smirk. "_ _Lilly, you saucy flirt," he growled lightly but happily._

_He wished they could do more than tease, but she was so young even though Lilly flirted like a woman and certainly looked like a woman. Even so, he couldn't get over the age difference. He couldn't get over that he knew her since she was a child and it never occurred to him that he'd fall for her. But now he was in love with Lilly and deep down, Arthur loathed himself for it. And Arthur knew he was a handsome man. A lot of women knew it too. But no matter how many times they threw themselves at him, when he tried to copulate with them, he had to think of Lilly in order to be even remotely successful. Not that he had sex with every woman who gave him attention. Just the ones with blue eyes, rosebud lips, and auburn hair. None of them smelled like her, though. Lilly smelled like apples. And her eyes were the color of sapphires. No one had eyes like her. Sometimes, though, he swore she had purple in them as well._

_Lilly buttoned herself up_ _and blew a kiss at Arthur then motioned for him to come see her. Lilly looked at him through her binoculars and just when he was going to signal yes..._

_"What are you lookin' at, Arthur?"_

_Arthur froze but remained calm when Dutch addressed him. "Trees," he said immediately before putting the binoculars down and pulling out his journal. Arthur was going to draw trees_ _now, but he kept his head bowed to hide his reddened cheeks._

_"Oh. You seemed very immersed in your tree gazin' there, Arthur," Dutch said. Arthur dared a glance at them. Dutch was smiling. Hosea had his arms crossed and looked unconvinced but highly entertained._

_Arthur's ears started to heat up and he looked back down. "Yes. Trees are beautiful things."_

_"Are they?"_

_"_ _Yes. Apple trees especially."_

_"...There's apple trees in the forest?" Hosea asked. He sounded amused._

_Arthur smiled to himself. "Just one."_

_"Well, you mind if we take a look?" Dutch inquired while trying not to laugh._

_Arthur shrugged. "It's a free country, Dutch." Shit._

_Arthur eyed Dutch as he grabbed the binoculars and looked around. "I don't see any apple trees."_

_"It's hard to spot."_

_"Huh. You got keener eyes than me, Arthur." Dutch set the object down and sat next to Arthur. "So, Arthur...is there somethin' you need to tell me?"_

_"Don't know what you mean, Dutch." Internally Arthur was groaning._

_He heard Dutch chuckle deeply and Hosea sat on_ _the other side of him. "You know Arthur, we've noticed a change in the last year. Since last summer, in fact."_

_"How do you mean?"_

_"Well, ever since Isaac and-"_

_Arthur slammed his book shut. "Do not mention that_ _, Hosea!" Arthur snapped. The older men gaped at him and Arthur shut his eyes with a huff. Arthur grabbed his binoculars and journal and stashed them. "I need to go for a walk."_

_"Alright, son," Dutch said. "Just know we're here to talk if you need us."_

_"And Lilly, too. You know you can talk to her."_

_"I know." Arthur stood up and began to walk off when he noticed Lilly at the tree line. Perhaps she got impatient waiting for him. He was no longer in the mood for flirting anyway. He looked towards the lake and decided to go hang out there._

_"EXCUSE ME!" he heard Lilly shout and he looked at her. "ARE YA FUCKERS BLIND?_ _HAVE I TURNED INVIS..." Arthur saw her collapse and he instantly ran to her fearing the worst._

_He reached her and knelt down to examine her. Scraped, scratched, and cut up, a gash to the forehead and a wooden stick lodged into her abdomen. There was blood everywhere._ " _Lillian," he choked when he saw all the blood between her legs. "Lillian, Jesus..."_

_Dutch and Hosea came running and got to their knees. "My God," Dutch said while touching her head. "Lilly? Can you hear me?"_

_"...Yeah. Am I dead?" she asked bitterly with her eyes barely open._

_"No, you_ _ain't dead, kid," Arthur replied._

_"Then why the fuck are ya arses just gawkin' at me?! Ya look like yer at a god damn funeral!"_

_Arthur cackled with pride, reached under the injured girl and picked her up. Leave it to Lilly O'Callaghan to remain saucy and funny at a time like this. "Stay with me, Lillian. Don't fall asleep..."_

_"If...if yer askin' me tah...stay awake...then go fuck yerself. I did all the hard work...gettin' here..." she breathed heavily._

_"Miss Grimshaw! Swanson! Get the god damn wagon set up now!" Du_ _tch shouted. "Lilly's hurt bad!"_

_People started gathering around as Arthur walked quickly with Lilly in his arms. "You're gonna be okay, Lilly. This little scratch ain't nothin to you!"_

_"Ha! A scratch, he says..." Lilly's eyes started fluttering._

_"No, you stay with me, O'Callaghan!" Arthur adjusted her body so her face was in front of him. "Don't you go to sleep, I don't care how much hard work you did gettin' here! You need to keep workin' hard!"_

_"Ugh, as ucht Dé! Cá bhfuil mo dheartháir?" Lilly snapped. "SEAN!"_ _[Where is my brother?]_

_"Here, deirfiúr!" Sean was walking next to Arthur. "Christ, Lilly, what happened?"_

_"Take a wild guess, Sean!" Lilly snapped before groaning from the pain. "A tree beat the shite out of me because I wanted tah leave and see why Ar-"_

_"Lilly, sweetheart, stop yellin'," Arthur interjected as he looked at the wagon. People didn't need to know what was going on between the two of them. "Don't want you overexertin' yourself." Arthur laid her down gently into the back and jumped in himself. He kneeled down and held her hand. "Lillian, we're takin' you to the doctor, and you're gonna be just fine, I promise."_

_Lilly caressed his face. "Níl mé buartha, mo chaomhnóir. Cosnaíonn tú mé i gcónaí. Fiú amháin ón mBás féin," she smiled weakly._

_"Sean, what did she just say?" Arthur asked as Sean, Dutch, and Hosea all got in the wagon. Susan and Pearson went to drive._

_"Ha! She said..." Sean paused and put a hand to Arthur's ear. "I'm not worried, my guardian. You always protect me. Even from Death itself," he whispered._

_"Sean, why did ya hafta spoil it? Ya know I...talk..." Lilly started fading out again._

_Arthur held her face and smacked her cheek a little as they went driving off. "Sweetheart, stay awake! Lillian!" Lilly wasn't awake anymore. Arthur checked for a pulse. It was surprisingly strong. Heh. Arthur lifted his head. "Her pulse is good, at least."_

_"_ _Good. I think she'll be just fine," Dutch said. "Lilly always manages to cheat death. A lot._ _"_

_Arthur_ _laughed, but then he ignored everyone else at that point because the Irish girl was all that mattered. Arthur grabbed his bandana and started cleaning the blood off her face. Every once in a while she'd wake up and ask for her Da, her Athair, or her Deartháir, but she would always smile at her Guardian first. Lilly rarely asked for protection, mostly because she didn't need it, but she always went to Arthur when Lilly felt it was necessary. When they got to the small hospital in town, Arthur rushed Lilly in and demanded help right away. However, the staff was not moving fast and it made Arthur become very irate. They got her to a room and a doctor came in. "Alright, folks. You can go wait out in the common area. We got her from here."_

_Oh hell no. "I ain't leavin'!" Arthur shouted. "She needs me here!"_

_"Arthur, boyo, ya can't stay in here," Sean said with a voice of reason. "We gotta wait outside."_

_"I ain't leavin'!"_

_The doctor huffed. "Sir, I know this is difficult but you need to go. She is going to live, I assure you. No major arteries were hit as far as I can tell. She's lost quite a bit of blood, but that's mostly from her uterus. Seems the painters were going to be in tomorrow or the next day."_

_Arthur blinked. "The what?"_

_Sean burst into laughter. "I can't believe you know that phrase!"_

_"My wife is Irish," the doctor chuckled._

_Sean laughed again. "Arthur, he means Lilly was due to have her...you know. The menses."_

_Arthur scrunched up his face then it dawned on him. "Ooohh. Well then why is she-"_

_Dutch, Hosea, and Sean had to coax Arthur out of the operating room. "Son, let them do their job. You did just fine gettin' her here, and she is goin' to be just fine gettin' out."_

_Arthur struggled a little but eventually he calmed down. Arthur looked down at himself, saw blood on his clothes and scowled. "Why does she have to bleed all over me every time I save her!?"_

_Hosea chuckled and pat Arthur's shoulder. "To be fair, the first time wasn't her blood at all."_

_Arthur looked at Hosea in shock, then the three men started laughing. Sean was confused, though. "The first time?"_

_Arthur sighed from the rush of nostalgia. "The first day we met."_

_"Oooohh, right. Where she...ha! That musta been gorey!"_

_"There was blood and shit everywhere! Intestines, blood, shoes, clothes...and the smell!"_

_The boys kept laughing for a good while. Arthur eventually went to go get new clothes and a bath. He was refreshed and in a good mood when he got back. When he walked in, the whole gang was there and it lightened Arthur's heart. After a while, the doctor came out with a smile._ _"Ha! You're all with Miss O'Callaghan, huh?" he asked._

_"We're family. All of us," Dutch said. "How is she, Doc?"_

_"She's resting and she's stable. We need to keep her overnight for observation but she will live." People sighed with relief, especially Arthur. "Now, if I could speak to uh,_ _the ones for the bill? I hate bringing the subject up. It's so crass. But a hospital can't run on happy thoughts."_

_Dutch laughed and Hosea and him went to talk to the doctor. Arthur sat down next to Sean and smiled. "Man, that was rougher than a bear's arse," Sean giggled._

_"Yes it was. But how did someone come up with that phrase about painters?" Arthur asked._

_"I think it is because of the leaking. It tends to stain somethin' awful, or so Karen tells me."_

_A brief cackle came out of Arthur. "That's funny. Blood is hell gettin' outta clothes. I had to throw mine away!" Dutch and Hosea came back looking grim. Arthur frowned. "What happened? Is the bill too much? I got money to-"_

_"It isn't that, Arthur. I wish it was that." The tone in Hosea's voice sounded like it was going to break._

_Arthur stood up. "Is she okay?"_

_"Yes. The important thing here is that she'll live."_

_Dutch shut his eyes and kicked a chair over. "God dammit!" he shouted. He turned his back to people and leaned a palm on the wall. He covered his eyes with the other. "Hosea, I can't even say it."_

_Hosea went and put a hand on Dutch's shoulder, then he looked at everyone sadly. "The doctor said she had...irreparable damage to her...uh..." Hosea wiped a tear from his eye and sniffed. "Lilly...God, Dutch, I can't say it either."_

_Susan came walking up and whispered something to the both of them, and the men nodded. Susan glanced at everyone. "Lilly's gone barren."_

_Arthur depressingly sank back down into his seat. "...shit."_

* * *

Arthur bowed his head. First things first. Arthur strolled over to Strauss. The man heard Arthur and turned to face him. "Ah, how did you get on?" Strauss asked happily. Arthur knew he wasn't actually happy, though.

"Not so good. He's almost dead," Arthur snapped. "And they seem more or less destitute. You were a fool for lendin' them the money."

"Well, people who aren't desperate don't seem so interested in my propositions. But..." Herr Strauss sighed. "I'm thinking perhaps I should reassess my line of work."

Arthur scoffed with astonishment. "You serious?"

"Yes. Desperate people are desperate for a reason. And the way Lilly handled these debts today makes me think brute force isn't necessary. She got the money out of all of them with 'very little violence' is how she put it. Said she had a nice chat with all of them, including the Polish fellow Mr. Wróbel."

Arthur was confused. "The Polish fellow? He speak English?" Arthur asked.

"Very little, I'm afraid. Lilly speaks Polish and German. Fluent German, I might add."

"She speaks German _and_ Polish?" He only overheard the German part, but she knew Polish too? How many languages did this woman know?

"You did not know this?"

"No, I didn't, but I'm guessin' she learned it before I met her. She doesn't talk about her past much."

"Hmm. Troubled, I take it?"

"Very. But anyway, I should go talk to her. She looked upset."

"...Yes, she was."

"Well, I'll talk to you later, then." Arthur walked over to the tent and opened the flap with a genuine smile. "There she is."

Lilly had her back to him as she sat at the vanity table. "Oh. Hi Arthur. I...I'm not feelin' too well."

He knew why, too. So, he decided he had to ask her now. And to tell her about Patrick Nolan. Arthur walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders. "Everythin' okay?"

Lilly had her head turned away from the mirror. Oh. She'd been crying, he figured. "Yes, I just...oh. Arthur I..." she stammered while fiddling with her nails. "Does my infertility bother you?"

"No. Why would it?"

"...Don't you want children? That's the one thing I can't give you, so...why are doin' this?"

Arthur kissed the top of her head. "What brought this on, mo grá?" _[my love?]_

"I had a chat with Strauss' clients today. They were nice enough, but Mr. Wróbel...he lost his wife in childbirth. Twins. They died too. And...he didn't have the money and he wanted to give me his watch but he had their wedding picture in it. I couldn't accept it. I...I paid his debt for him. I'm sorry, I know I should've-"

Arthur knelt down on one knee in front of her. "Lillian, ya didn't do anythin' that merits an apology. And sweetheart, I promise that you bein', you know, it doesn't matter to me. And to be honest, I don't think I could have another kid. Not after what happened to..." Arthur put his head in her lap after taking off his hat. "Lilly, I need to tell you somethin', and then I gotta ask you somethin'."

"Okay."

Arthur looked up at her. She had been crying. "I...your intended. He is lookin' for you."

A confused expression came up on her face. "What? How do you know?"

"I met him. Years ago. Said a lot of things about findin' you, about you bein'...the 2nd Countess of Moycullen and havin' you go back and reclaim your title."

Lilly sat back and covered her face. "Oh for the love of Jesus, Mary, and mother fuckin' Joseph! Did he say anythin' else?"

"Somethin' about your father earnin' an Earl title from killin' a goddess."

Lilly laughed sadly. "Yes. That. He killed someone for sure. Some...really bad woman who people thought was a witch or a goddess or whatever. Thought she was causin' all the famines. Apparently her warrior prowess was legendary, but my father was better. Her name was...Adair, I think? But...yes, anyway, I don't remember much else."

Arthur reached into his pocket for a small blue velvet box. "Lillian, if he is still in the States lookin' for you...I will respect it if you go. But if you don't want to go, I am not gonna let him have you."

Lilly smiled down at him. "Of course I don't want to go with him. Ireland is not my home any more." Lilly placed a small kiss on his lips. "You are my home."

With a gentle smirk, Arthur locked eyes with her. "Good. Now I can ask you a question, and please know that I love you and I definitely would be askin' this anyway, even if it was down the...no, I would ask this anyway. We been courtin' only a little while but I feel like we been together for years and-"

Lilly put a finger his lips. "Just shut up and ask me, okay?" Lilly chuckled.

"Ha, sorry. Ahem. Lilly..." Arthur grabbed one of her hands. He was nervous as all hell even though he knew she'd say yes. Or would she? He paused. God, when he proposed to Mary, he was nervous but not _this_ nervous. Maybe it was too fast. This had to be too fast. Were they ready for this? Was she ready for this?

"Arthur, what is it? What's wrong? Is it a bad question?"

"No. I'm only nervous, darlin'."

"Why would you be, wait a minute," Lilly got close to his face. "Did you get into a fight with someone?"

"Oh!" Arthur completely forgot about that. "Yes! The boys and I got into a saloon fight today and there was this big fucker I had to take on. But don't worry, I'm fine."

Lilly scoffed with playful irritation. "Oh, I know yer fine. I ain't worried about that. I'm just sore because ya had a bar fight and didn't invite me."

Arthur smiled at her. No. He was definitely ready to ask her. "Lillian Rose O'Calla-"

"Arthur! Lilly! Get out here please!" Dutch shouted.

* * *

Lilly sighed as she watched a very flustered Arthur Morgan leave the tent. He was furious about something. She raised from the chair and went to the flaps.

"What the hell, Dutch! I was in the middle of...askin' Lilly a question?" Arthur said the last part through his teeth.

What question? What the hell was Arthur so nervous about? Dutch looked at Lilly and made a face that was the equivalent of saying 'oops'. Lilly wondered what was going on. Hmm. "Well, sorry. Was it important?" Dutch asked as he glanced back at Arthur with a grin.

Lilly saw Arthur tense up. "No, I guess not," he said in defeat. "You find a buyer for them bonds we stole?

"Not yet, but Hosea's workin' on it," Dutch replied.

"When we headin' west?"

"Soon...I don't know," Dutch said sadly.

Arthur sighed. "Feels like...things have changed. The whole world has changed. They don't want folk like us no more." Arthur started walking with Dutch, as did Lilly. "We're bein' hunted."

"We are smarter than them. Only the feeblest of men take," Dutch sat down by his tent while speaking, "jobs in the government."

Arthur cackled as he grabbed his gun belt. "I hope so."

"Trust Dutch, Mr. Morgan," Molly said while sewing. "Ya hafta."

Lilly frowned, wondering who was more right on the subject. Da was wise, but so was Arthur. Still, Lilly questioned Da's behavior of late. That whole mess in Blackwater. Dutch killing that woman on the ferry. The whole massacre of the town. He'd been reckless and uncharacteristic. Lilly did not want to defy her father, but Arthur did have a point. Being a hunter herself, she knew they were being chased relentlessly. Dutch went too far in Blackwater and the government had enough of his robberies and antics for sure. It was only a matter of time before they'd be a group of prey, and Lilly felt that time had come.

"They got Micah!" Lenny shouted as he ran into camp on his horse. "Dutch! Arthur!"

The four gang members went and met Lenny in the middle of their distance. "What's goin' on?" Dutch asked.

"They got Micah! He's, he's been arrested for murder! He was in Strawberry and-"

"It's okay, son. Breathe."

Lenny bent over, gasping. "They nearly lynched me. They..." Lenny stood back up. "They got Micah at the sheriff's in Strawberry and there's talk of hangin' him."

"Here's hopin'," Arthur said casually. Lilly couldn't agree more and she giggled at Arthur.

"Arthur!" exclaimed Dutch.

"What? That fool brought this on himself. You know my feelin's about him, Dutch."

"You think I can't see past his bluster to the heart inside?" Dutch asked. "He is a fine man."

"No! No he ain't a fine man! Spyin' on Lilly and me, tellin' the whole god damn camp, then talkin' all that bluster about shootin' me and..." Arthur looked at Lilly then back at Arthur. "Need I continue listin' his offenses?" Arthur pointed at Dutch. "I ain't savin' that fool."

"I can't go! My face will be all over West Elizabeth!" explained Dutch. "I am asking! He would do it for you!"

"I don't think he would, but...fine, alright," Arthur groaned.

Lilly sighed. "Well, I'm goin' with you, obviously. I do owe the man a debt, much to my chagrin."

"What debt?"

"When I was lost, remember?"

"Right. Okay. Well, that'll be our chance to rub it in his face," Arthur said with a smug smile. "You okay, Lenny?" Arthur asked as he approached him.

"Yeah, 'course I'm okay," Lenny replied.

"You don't seem okay."

"You take that kid into town. Valentine, not Strawberry," Dutch said as he began to walk away. "Get him drunk! And Arthur? No crazy business."

Lilly snorted. Da was referring to the bar fight, she assumed. "I've given that up!" Arthur shouted with a light undertone.

"And you get Micah outta that jail!"

Arthur sighed in annoyance. Lilly did as well. "Come on, son," Arthur said to Lenny and walked with him to the horses. "I'll get to it Dutch!" he shouted. "Just...can't drop everything."

Lilly raised a brow and followed the two. Lilly stopped when she saw a new horse. A dappled black thoroughbred. "Arthur, is that one yours? When did you get that horse?"

Arthur laughed. "Same day I got Liath for you."

"Liath? Who's Liath?" Lenny asked.

Lilly smiled happily as she walked to her iron gray Ardennes. "My new war horse. Arthur, uh, gifted him to me." Lilly mounted up.

Lenny's jaw dropped. "Wow. Is he an Ardennes?"

"Yep. Just like Bill's horse, but so much prettier."

Arthur cackled. The three rode out of camp and Lilly looked around for her wolves. Nowhere to be seen. Lilly assumed they were out hunting or whatever. "Arthur, what were you gonna ask me?"

"Hmm? Oh. I'll ask you later. It's a very intimate one," Arthur said with a wink.

"Ha! You two still goin' at it, huh?" Lenny asked.

"Yes. In fact, we uh...we live together now."

"...Really? Damn." Lenny sounded disappointed.

"Ah, don't be like that, Lenny. I can still flirt!" Lilly laughed.

Arthur stopped his horse. "Excuse me?"

Lilly giggled at Arthur's reaction. "I'm only yankin' yer chain, mo chuisle. I no longer require, hmm, cleachtadh." _[practice.]_

"What's that?"

"Look it up."

"Speakin' of different languages," Arthur mentioned as they resumed their gallop. "How many languages do you speak, Lilly?"

Lilly sighed. Great. "I assume you spoke to Strauss?"

"Yes. Had to inform him of the Downes debt not bein' paid." Arthur eyed his woman. "So? How many languages?"

Lilly sighed. "Aside from my main two? German and Polish."

"That's it?"

"Yes," Lilly lied. She spoke over two dozen languages but she was under no obligation to tell them that. Arthur looked at her like he knew she was fibbing. "Hey look, there's Valentine!" Lilly rode up faster than the other two.

Come to think of it, she'd only been her to sell meat and pelts. That and the other thing. It was getting late but perhaps the horologist's shop was still open. As she travelled down the main street, Lilly saw the man still inside. She went down a ways to hitch Liath up by the bar then Lilly quickly ran to the shop. Lilly walked in and waved at the man. He was an old man in his 60's with balding white hair and a cane, but his hands were as steady as a stream. When the horologist saw her, he smiled.

"Ah, Miss O'Callaghan. Nice to see you again," she breathed out then he sneezed into a hanky. "Oh, excuse me, child. I still have that nasty cold but it's getting better."

Lilly smiled back at him as she rested her arms on the counter. "Glad to hear it, Mr. Gowry. You definitely sound better."

"Hmm, thank you. Now, are you here about your sweetheart's pocketwatch?"

"Yes sir. You're probably not finished yet but I was hopin' to see your progress."

"Haha! Actually," the man hobbled over to one of his cabinets. He opened it and started exploring around with his fingers. "I finished it this morning."

Lilly was flabbergasted. "Wow, really? That was really fast!"

Mr. Gowry found the box he was looking for and hobbled back over to the counter. "Thank you, my dear. Now, I must say, the way I had to weld the bullet ends in was a wonderful challenge. I loved the idea." He set the box in front of her. "Open, please."

Lilly smiled and open the box. What she saw inside took her breath away and she beamed down at it. "It's breathtaking! Oh my God!" She shut the box and leaned over the counter. "Thank you very much, Mr. Gowry. Now, I assume you want your payment."

"If you wouldn't mind. And thank you for the compliment."

Lilly grabbed money from her satchel, counted it, and handed it to the man. "Thank you so much, sir. Arthur is gonna love it!" she said with a giggle.

"I am curious, though," the man said as he opened the register. "How did you manage to get it without him knowing?"

Lilly smirked devishly. "Well, you study watches. I study pockets."


	15. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for sexual content.

Lilly wandered into the saloon. Man, the place was crowded with men and call girls. The smell of alcohol and cigar smoke invaded her nostrils. While it wasn't disgusting, it was potent. She saw Arthur and Lenny over at the bar and ambled over.

"...couple beers please?" she heard Arthur ask.

"You!" The bartender said. "I don't want no trouble!"

"And you'll get none from me. I was defendin' myself."

Lilly covered her mouth to muffle her giggling. "Tommy, he's-"

"He'll be fine," Arthur groaned as he reached into his satchel for money. He spotted Lilly from the corner of his eye and smiled at her before tossing two coins on the bar. "Here, have one for yourself, and the woman would like one too, please."

The bartender thanked Arthur and handed him a beer for Lilly. As he grabbed it, he turned and leaned his back up while giving Lilly the beer. The Irish woman graciously accepted and took a drink. "Mmm, not too shabby," Lilly said while licking her lips.

"So, where did you run off to, woman?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, Mr. Morgan." Lilly smirked and drank some more. "Now, let us change the subject, boys." She stood between Lenny and Arthur. "Lenny, tell me all about Strawberry."

"Micah seemed to know a lot of people...that was the problem," Lenny said.

"How do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"I mean I done seen a lot of crazy, crazy stuff, but Micah-"

"I done seen a lot of crazy, crazy stuff," a drunk man interrupted him.

Arthur glared at the man. "Will you shut up?"

"Will you shut up?"

"Be quiet, buddy."

"They're dullards!" the man laughed. "My Lord...you men is dull," the man continued on laughing.

Lilly squinted her eyes and tightened her lips. This guy was getting on her nerves and Lenny seemed to notice. "Leave this fool alone, Lilly."

"Leave this fool alone, Lilly," the man repeated.

"Hey!" Lilly snapped at the man. "Go find some other patrons tah pester, ya cockroach!"

"Oh ho ho! Someone is feisty! You is Lilly, ain't you little girl?"

Arthur sighed. "Alright, I've heard en-"

Lilly put a hand to Arthur's chest. "Relax, mo chuisle. I got this," she said with a mischievous smile.

Arthur chuckled. "You need me to move?"

"Oh, such a clever boy," she giggled. "If you please."

Arthur looked at the confused man and cackled before getting behind her. Lilly faked an innocent smile at the man. "Now, let's play a game. Do ya like games, sir?"

"I do! What game we playin'?"

"It's called, "Lilly Says", sir. It's like "Simon Says". Same rules apply." This was laying the trap.

"Wait, why Lilly and not Simon?"

"Because ya gotta sound like me."

Lilly heard the boys laughing quietly behind her. "Hmm, okay...well, ladies first."

"Ah, such a chivalrous man. Okay, Lilly says...touch yer nose." This was Lilly's lure.

The man touched his nose. "Ha! I like this."

More laughing behind her. "Lilly says stick out your tongue." This was the prey in front of the open chasm of teeth.

The man did as she said. "Mmmwwweeeehhh!"

Lilly snorted from her throat and let out a high pitched giggle. "Good. Now, this next one is very easy, but it tends tah confuse people. Ya must listen carefully, okay?"

"Uh huh." The meal was in the mouth. Lilly was ready for the kill.

"Lilly says...GET THE FECK OUT BEFORE I RIP YA TAH PIECES!" The music and chatter stopped as the drunk man went running from her towards the back. He stumbled a few times before barging through the back door. Lilly, with the straightest of faces, took a drink of her beer and faced the bartender. He looked dumbfounded. "Oh, my apologies for frightenin' ya, sir. I was makin' sure Arthur here didn't need to defend himself again."

Arthur, Lenny, and Lilly burst into hysterics and the atmosphere in the saloon relaxed. The three gang members clinked their bottles together and started chugging. And instead of only having a few beers, they kept drinking. They had beer, they had shots of whiskey, then some more beer. Lilly preferred whiskey to the beer. She was Irish, after all. Eventually her and Lenny found themselves upstairs talking amongst themselves.

"So, lemme make suuuure I'm hearin' ya roight, lad," Lilly slurred. "Yer a...wait, ya know, I fergot what we was talkin' 'bout."

"Me too!" Lenny said while balancing a shot glass on his forehead.

"Yer...yer really good at that, Lenny. And I thought I had good balance."

"Here, you try." Lenny handed her the glass. "Wait, lemme just..." Lilly leaned her head back and Lenny placed it on her forehead. "There you go."

"Heheheheheee, this is fun fer sure. I havena done shite like this fer a while."

"LENNEH!"

Lilly almost dropped the glass when she started laughing. "Was that Arthur?"

"LILLEH!" Arthur shouted. "Where are ya!? Where is Lenneh and mo stóirín?!"

"What did he say?" Lenny asked.

"It's Gaeilge fer "my little darling". He insists on tryin' tah speak Gaeilge but the man is just...he hasna the proper tongue fer it. But most people dunna have it. Ugh, take the glass before I fall over!"

Lenny took it with a giggle and balanced it on his head again. Lilly stood up straight and saw Arthur coming up the stairs with three beers. "Mo chuisle! Over here, me love!"

Arthur spotted her and smiled. He walked like a drunkard along the planked floor to them. "What are you doin', kid?"

"Hello Arthur!" Lenny said. "You know what, I don't know."

Lenny dropped the glass but Lilly caught it and made a victorious smile. "I still got cat like reflexes!"

Arthur laughed and handed her and Lenny the beers. "You sure do."

They all chugged the beers a bit. Lenny started dancing and Arthur and Lilly both cackled at him. After a while Lenny asked him a serious question. "Well, why ain't you never married?"

Lilly almost spit out her beer. Oh what the hell. Lilly was about to glare at him when she saw the look on Arthur's face. And what he said next almost broke her heart. "No one would have me," he said sadly.

Lilly frowned and nudged him. "Ya know what, babe?"

Arthur cackled at her. "Babe?"

"Sherrrr...babe! I heard it's...fuck, it's an affex...affecto...it's a love thing! And ya know what?"

"What's that...babe?"

All three of them started cackling and snickering. "Seriously...in all seriousness, babe...I'll..." Lilly waved an arm about. "I'll have ya!"

Arthur's jaw dropped with a smile. Lenny gaped at her with joy. "Ask her now before she changes her mind!" Lenny blurted out.

"Why would I change me bloomin' mind? I'm bein' serious!

Arthur put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her. Well, Arthur slobbered her face, really, he was so drunk. "It's...funny you both mentioned that...because...ahem, Lilly, I...I wanted to..." Arthur reached into his pocket but started to panic. "...Oh no."

Lilly's eyes widened. "Did ya lose somethin'?"

"Yes! I lost...oh wait, ha! Here it is!" Arthur looked at her with a smile. "I...well, wait, let's move away from the railing."

They all did and Arthur stood in front of Lilly with his hands on her arms to steady himself. "Arthur, wait, before ya...I donna know what yer doin', but...well, I..." Lilly sighed and pulled out her gift box.

"What's that?" Arthur asked while pointing to the box. A knowing smile was her answer and it made Arthur laugh. "Is it for me?"

Lilly inclined her head and held it out. "I lied. I did make time fer a gift, babe. I been waitin' on this fer a bit, but it didna take as long as I thought it would."

Arthur took it, shook his head with a chuckle, and opened it. His face went blank and Lilly's throat swelled up. Uh oh. Was he going to be upset? She'd "borrowed" it some time ago to have it fixed and customized.

* * *

_"Now, Lilly, you know how I feel about you talkin' like that."_

_"Yes, I do," she giggled at him. "Faigheann sé tú ag dul. Nuair a théimid chuig campa, ní stadfaidh mé." Lilly leaned over closer to him. "Mo coinín riachtanais tú chomh dona," Lilly murmured seductively._

_Arthur gaped at her. "You little minx."_

_"Yes I am. Tiocfaidh mé chugat. Beidh mé ag focáil tú. Beidh níos mó de dhíth ort. Beidh tú ag impí ar do ghlúine chun ithe mo mhil."_

_Arthur's mouth went slack as he stared at Lilly. "Lillian..."_

_"Is mian liom go raibh a fhios agat cad a bhí á rá agam. Is mian liom go bhféadfá labhairt liom i nGaeilge," Lilly said as she discreetly reached into his interior jacket pocket._

_"Get us out the stream!" Hosea shouted. Arthur blinked and focused on driving. "You gotta keep us movin', but calm."_

_Lilly giggled and leaned close to Arthur's ear. "Beidh mise leatsa go deo má fhoghlaimíonn tú mo theanga, mo fhear álainn," she whispered. Lilly saw Arthur's body tremble briefly and just as the back wheel of the wagon broke off, she snatched an object from him. Lilly started cackling as she trotted away from the wagon. "Hahahaaaa!"_

_"Ah, shit!" Arthur shouted. "Dammit, Lillian!"_

_Lilly could barely restrain herself from giggling. "I'm sorry." She had her backs to all the men and looked at the object. It was a gold watch with a bullet in it. Lilly's expression softened into a tender smile. He kept it after all this time?_

* * *

Arthur immediately sobered up as he pulled out the gold watch. It was his old pocket watch that took a bullet the day he and Lilly crossed paths, and it was different than before. On the front, there was a black griffin on a green shield, but there was a bullet head over the griffin's chest. A small bullet head. There was a reindeer buck's head etched into the gold above the shield, and there were intricate long feather designs for the arms. It was the Morgan family crest. Arthur looked at her in shock then turned the watch over. Inscribed on the back were the words "Audaces fortuna juvat". Arthur knew those words. Fortune favours the bold. The Morgan family motto. And above the motto was the back end of a bullet.

"Um, open it," she said with a blush.

He did and saw that the damn thing was actually fixed. And under the lid, it said "Mo Chuisle, Mo Fear Álainn, Mo Bithiúnach. Love, L.R.O'C." _[My Pulse, My Beautiful Man, My Reprobate.]_

"I was...um...I was orin...orin...I was pullin' a prank until I saw what I snatched, so...I hope ya ain't...ma...mad. I know it's sentimental tah us both, but...I..."

"That is a beautiful watch, but..." Lenny leaned over Arthur's shoulder. "Why is there a bullet in it?"

Lilly giggled. "Ya see, the first day he and I met, he saved me from gettin' run over by a carriage. I was only seven. And...and then later on...we was dealin' with these two fuckers that wanted tah take me back..." Lilly burped and laughed as she finished her beer. "Sorry, excuse me...anyway, they wanted tah take me back tah Papa."

"Your father?"

"No, me father's dead. Papa was a man in Saint Denis that wanted tah take me away from Arthur. More than once." Lilly slapped a hand over her mouth. "Fuck!" she said but it was muffled. Arthur gaped at her. Lilly nodded. "He...fuck, I gotta go..."

Lilly went to go but Arthur enfolded her with his arms. "Please don't run away, mo grá," Arthur spoke softly into her ear. "Tá mé i ngrá leat. Fan liom. _"_ [I am in love with you. Stay with me.] She relaxed against him. "Lenny, don't repeat this to anyone. It is a _very_ bad subject for her."

Lenny made a locking motion to his lips. "I won't say a word. But...I gotta piss, I'll be back."

They watched Lenny go and Arthur directed her into one of the bedrooms. He caressed her face and sighed. "More than once? They came back?"

Lilly nodded grimly while fiddling with her fingers. "Please don't ask me about it."

"Lillian, you need to tell me."

"I wilna tell ya anythin' more about it, Arthur Morgan!" she snapped.

Arthur suddenly snapped too. "The hell you won't! I think I should know about it if you wanna be my wife!"

"Yer what?!"

Arthur shut his eyes. Now he was sober and he knew she was too. "God dammit." This was not how he wanted it to go.

"Arthur...were ya thinkin' about proposin' tah me?"

Arthur sighed. "I wasn't just thinkin' about it." Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. "I was goin' to."

Lilly blinked at him. "But...if I wanna be yer wife, ya mean I gotta tell ya everythin'? Look, love, I can tell ya everythin' that happened before Saint Denis, and maybe a couple things after Saint Denis, but ya wilna know _anythin'_ about me time in Saint Denis. Nobody will."

That was a very hard deal. Arthur did feel like he should know everything if he was going to propose. He knew pushing her would be bad, but he was still quite drunk and his sense of logic and judgment were not working on all cylinders at that point. He put the box away. "You selfish brat! Why would you want to keep anythin' from me? I love you! Doesn't that mean anythin'?"

"Of course it does, ya dumb fuckin' Sasanach!" _[Englishman!]_

"Cruel little bitch!"

"Shite faced arsehole!"

"Fuckin' whore!"

Lilly narrowed her eyes. "Ya know damn well I ain't a whore! You are my first!"

"Oh really? Because I don't think I believe you! Tell me to my face, Lillian! Were you a virgin when I first fucked you or am I just another one of your god damn play things?!"

Lilly looked taken aback. "You were never me play thing! You're the love of me life! I've loved ya from the moment I first saw you!" Lilly shouted angrily.

Arthur's anger washed away with a wave of shock and awe. "...What?"

"The whole point of the god damn huntin' game was so I could have ya, even if it was just that small piece of ya because I thought ya'd never love me! And I didn't realize how I actually felt until ya took me that day in that circle of pine trees!"

He stared at Lilly with big eyes and when he saw her flaring nostrils, her angry eyes, her clenched fists, and her tightened lips, Arthur knew he just fucked up big time. "Lilly, I...I didn't know-"

"Of course ya didna know! I didna even know it! I didna want tah know it because I didna think I even deserved ya! Didna think I could compare tah Mary or Eli..." Lilly stopped herself. "But clearly, it's the other way around!" Arthur knew he went too far but before he could take any of it back, Lilly kept yelling. "No, it's you that dunna deserve me. I am the second Countess of Moycullen, daughter of Jack Joseph O'Callaghan, Godslayer of Galway and the first Earl of Moycullen! But you?!" she pointed at him angrily. "You are nothin' compared tah me, ya lowlife outlaw commoner!"

"Lillian, I am so sorry."

"SHUT UP!"

What surprised Arthur even more was he didn't want to shut up. He knew how effective that shout was and it was borderline magical as far as he was concerned, but Arthur had never been frightened of her and he wasn't going to be frightened of her now. He took a step forward. "No, I won't shut up."

Lilly's eyes widened. Obviously she was just as surprised. "That's...strange."

"I know, but I'm not scared of you," Arthur said with a laugh. "I don't think I have ever been scared of you."

Lilly scowled and shook her head. "As ucht Dé, nevermind." Lilly stormed away from him to the door. Arthur went after her and snatched her arm.

"Don't go, you silly woman! C'mere!"

Lilly faced him. "LET GO OF ME!"

Arthur held on and kept his eyes on hers. "No. I won't let go of you, Lillian."

Lilly flung her arm from him. "That is not yer choice to make. I am goin' home."

"I am your home. You said so yourself."

"I'm talkin' about me birthplace! Ireland!"

"You have no money. How are you gonna get there? Swim?" he chuckled.

"Patrick Nolan! Ya said he was lookin' fer me!"

Arthur's heart jumped into his throat. Ah shit. "That was years ago. He's probably stopped lookin' by now."

"Ha! Ya don't know Patrick, but I do! He's more stubborn and pigheaded than you are!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you stubborn lass. I'm gonna propose and you're gonna say yes! Now come here!" He wrapped his arms around Lilly and kissed her.

She tried to get away from him but couldn't. "After all the shite ya said tah me, I'd take a goat as a husband before I'd ever have ya again!"

"Then I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't have said that. Now stop bein' so damn difficult and say you'll marry me."

"Ya canna take back what ya said!" Lilly's lips started trembling.

He didn't just piss her off. He'd hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her and for a moment, he thought about giving up and letting her go, but then he thought better of it. He was not going to give up that easily. "Let me make it up to you, then."

"No."

Arthur put his hands on her shoulders. "You and I have fought too often. I always make it up, don't I Lillian?"

Lilly smacked his hands away and put her hand on the doorknob. "I dunna care! I am goin' home tah reclaim me title, marry an Earl, and live happily ever after. I never want tah see ya again and dunna follow me."

She opened the door but he slammed it shut and pinned her against it. "I will follow you. I will crawl underwater to Ireland if I have to, but I will follow you. I will chase you down all the way to god damn Galway because I love you and you love me. And you know Patrick's only tryin' to find you because his father gave him the obligation."

"Both our fathers did and I have an obligation tah follow through! Ya wouldna understand!"

"Oh horse shit," Arthur said with a cackle. "You're only sayin' that because you're mad at me, and you'll regret it if you leave."

"I may regret it but I'm gonna do it just tah spite ya! I made a promise back then to me father and mother!"

Arthur narrowed his eyebrows as his determination burned in his light blue eyes. He had one last trick up his sleeve. "Well, I better let the cat out of the bag now," he smirked. "You also made a promise to me, woman."

Lilly looked confused, which is what he wanted: to throw her off. "What promise?"

"About you bein' mine forever."

Lilly eyed him suspiciously. "...I never promised anythin' of the sort.

"No, you didn't use the word, but I know you very well, O'Callaghan, and," he sighed nonchalantly. "Your word is your bond...when you ain't mad and spittin' nails, of course." He grinned at her knowingly.

Her dark blue eyes held more questions. "What the fuck are ya talkin' 'bout?"

Arthur kissed Lilly's forehead before pressing his brow to hers. "Tá mé i ngrá leat. Beidh grá agam duit i gcónaí. Mo grá. Mo chuisle. Mo bhean chéile sa todhchaí. Fan liom. Ní ligfidh mé duit dul." _[_ _I am in love with you. I will always love you. My love. My pulse. My future wife. Stay with me. I will not let you go.]_

Lilly blinked a few times. "How much was in that book?!"

He looked at her with a shit eating grin. "Ar chóir dom leanúint ar aghaidh? Labhraím do theanga, bean. Tá tú liom go deo toisc go labhraíonn mé é." _[Should I continue? I speak your language, woman. You're with me forever because I speak it.]_

Lilly's mouth parted. "...What? How the fuck are ya learnin' Gaeilge so fast?" she asked. "It takes years tah..." Realization hit her face. "...How long have ya been studyin' it?!"

"I been studyin' it for about, hmm, four years now," Arthur said with a smile. "Without your knowledge. I was goin' to prank your ass with it. All those times you and Sean spoke in Gaeilge around me and you didn't know it. So," he pulled her away from the door and locked it. He looked at her and gently pushed his body into hers to move her to the bed. "Oibleagáid nó grá?" _[Love or no love?]_

Lilly's eyes filled with tears and she laughed as they fell. "Ya feckin' shite! Ya prankin' shite! I dunna know if I should hate ya or love ya!"

"Love me." He got down on his left knee as he pulled out the box once more, held the box with his left hand, and opened it with his right. "Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, will you hang your washing with mine?"

* * *

Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable. Arthur hid this secret for years. It was the ultimate god damn prank. Oh, he was good. Lilly looked down at what was in the box. The ring in the box was a silver band with two sapphires with a slightly bigger emerald in the middle. Simple and practical, but gorgeous all the same. It was perfect. Lilly sat on the bed. She had a choice to make. She didn't want to marry Patrick Nolan. She didn't want to go back to Ireland. Well, she did, but Lilly would want to bring Arthur with. Maybe they could go for a honeymoon once all this running from the law was over. "Was Sean teachin' you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I told you, to prank you. And, well, I wanted to flirt with you in your native language." A hint of suggestion filled Arthur's eyes. "Lillian, I'm still waitin' for an answer.

Lilly, with a shake of her head, smiled at him. He was right. Lilly was his forever. "I will marry you...on one condition."

"Tell me."

"I get to name this prank."

"Done." Arthur smiled happily and put the band on the ring finger of her left hand. "Now..." Arthur helped her up. "You got two choices. We go find Lenny or we consummate our engagement."

Lilly laughed with a breath full of air. "As much as I'd love tah ride ya roight no'wwwwaaaah, we better go find Lenny be...before he gets himself intah trouble, me...future Mr. O'Callaghan."

Arthur cackled with amusement in his smile. "Okay then, future Mrs. Morgan."

They both kissed again and left the bedroom to go find Lenny. "Hmmm, where did our boy run off tah?"

Arthur cackled and put an arm around her. They heard glass break and Lilly looked over the railing. Lenny was taking on two men. "Get away from me!" Lenny shouted defiantly.

"Ah shit. We better go help. I'll take the shortcut, you flank 'em at the stairs."

"The shortcut?" Arthur stared at her. "What shortcut?"

Lilly kissed his cheek, side leaped over the railing and landed on the ground with a crouch. "Hey ya fucks! Leave him alone!" Lilly shoved one of the guys away. "I mean it! Do not make me angry! Ya saw what I did tah that one feller!" The men charged her and Lenny and Lilly jumped up on the bar. She helped Lenny from falling while she landed gracefully despite her inebriation.

"Leave the kid and my woman alone, you god damn animals!" Arthur yelled at the men.

Who do you think you're talkin' to?" one of the assailants asked furiously.

"Nobody," Arthur pointed as he drunkenly wobbled down the steps. "...I'm talkin' to nobody!" Arthur continued with a low groan.

The men faced Arthur. "What did you say?"

"What?"

"I said what did you say?"

Lilly and Lenny got off the bar and stood at each of Arthur's sides. Arthur shoved one of the drunken aggravators. "Get lost, buddy!"

"Shut up, mister!" said the second angry man.

"Yeah. Shut your mouth!" man number one added.

Lilly scowled. "Don't ya tell me man tah shut up, ya bastards! I'll kick yer arses single handedly meself!" Lilly got into her kick boxing stance. "But seein' as how there's three of us and only two of yas, yer odds just went intah the negative percentage! NOW BACK OFF!"

The men did, in fact, back off. "Okay okay, shit! That's quite a demandin' voice you got!"

Lilly relaxed and giggled. "Why thank you kindly, sir."

Arthur laughed and pulled his fianceé to his chest. "Yes she does. I look forward to bein' yelled at like that, mo bhean chéile." _[my wife.]_

A drunken cackle came flying out of her throat. "I ain't yer wife yet, mo chuisle."

"Wait, what?" Lenny asked. "Wife?"

Lilly looked behind her at Lenny and propped up her left hand. "He proposed upstairs just now."

"Oh yeah!" Arthur barked with laughter. "I asked Lilly to marry me and she accepted!"

"No shit! Are you serious?!" Lenny grabbed Lilly's hand and studied the ring closely. "That is beautiful! But no diamond?"

"Now why would I do that? It makes sense! An emerald for Ireland, and two sapphires," Arthur slid his hand into Lilly's auburn hair as he stared into her eyes with a twinkle in his own. "For her pretty blue eyes."

A blush formed in Lilly's cheeks. "Aww, mo chuisle."

"Hey, that's..." the first assailant started tearing up. "That's a beautiful thing," he sniffled.

"Yeah," the second man said while his eyes watered. "You two are...hey! Let's get some rounds over here for, uh, what are your names?"

"Arthur."

"Lilly."

"For Arthur and Lilly! On us!" the man continued.

Lilly was not going to complain. They all had a few shots of whiskey each and Lilly passed the point of no return. Bercoed. Fluthered. Paralytic. Completely steamboated. It got to the point where everyone in the bar hooked arms to shoulders and started can-canning. After that, Lilly heard someone playing the piano and the sound 'MMMM' came through as she was chugging a beer.

"I'm gonna go ask that man tah...tah play us somethin,' Arthur!" Lilly stumbled over while Arthur started cackling. Lilly pulled herself up using a chair and glared at Arthur. "Ya coulda helped yer darlin' wife up, husband!"

Arthur cackled delightfully and pulled Lilly to him aggressively before kissing her deeply. "I need to go piss first."

"Mmmm, okay. Dunna be long, mo fhear céile," she said while flashing her teeth at him. _[my husband]_

"You...god, you wonderful woman." He kissed her hard. "Let's go have a good time after I piss."

"I thought we was havin' a good time?" Lilly teased.

"Mmhmmhmmhmmhmm, Lilly. Come out with me and I'll show you a really good time."

"Oh, outside? Such a kinky bithiúnach. But what if I fall over?" _[reprobate.]_

Arthur laughed. "You ain't gonna be standin' up, babe." He grabbed her hand to lead her outside. She power walked with him, a giddy laugh erupting from her throat. "How are ya gonna fuck me, Arthur?"

They burst outside and he found a corner to pee in. "Against the wall, of course."

"Hehe, I see." Lilly went behind some big boxes and began to remove her pants when a thought crossed her mind. She wanted discretion, so she pulled them down to her knees, grabbed her knife, and made a hole in the middle of the crotch area. As she sheathed her knife and yanked them back up, Arthur came over to her. "I made a modification tah me pants, Arthur."

A laugh came out of Arthur. "Okay?"

Lilly leaned on the wall and spread her legs a wee bit. "I made a hole. Shh."

Arthur grinned, unbuttoned his pants, and lifted her as he kissed her. "I made a modification too."

Lilly giggled then inhaled a sharp, giddy sounding breath. "That's not a modifi-UH!"

Arthur put his cock into her and pumped. "This is gonna be quick. I wanna get back in there, celebrate some more, then I wanna have my way with you again." He kissed her neck and pumped into her deeply. "And again." He pulled out then thrust into her. "And again."

"Oh, lots of crossin' off your to-do list," Lilly giggled. Arthur and her laughed loudly, then they proceeded with snogging and having sex.

* * *

Lilly could barely stand, she was laughing so hard. Lenny and Arthur were engaged in a male ritual of slap fighting. Oh the testosterone. Lilly snorted as she went to the bar and ordered another beer. As she consumed a good portion, Arthur wrapped his arms around her. "Mo stoirín, hello." _[my little darling]_

Lilly could tell he was past the point of no return as well. And the fact that he was showing extremely heavy affection in public was a good example of that. "Had a good slappin', did ya?"

"Mmhmm."

Lenny almost crashed into the counter and pat Arthur. "You...you a...you're a good friend, Arthur. You too, Lilly."

"Shut up..." Arthur said with an embarassed tone.

Lilly giggled as she ordered tall glasses of beer for the three of them. They clanked them together and chugged them all down...except for Arthur. His got stolen by Mr. Simon Says.

Lilly slammed her glass down. "Did ya just steal me fiancé's god damn beer?!"

"Cheers!" the man laughed. Lilly snatched the mug out of his hand, gave it to Arthur, and grabbed the man by the ear. "Ow!"

"Ya got poor manners, boyo!" Lilly yanked him out the back as he kept howling in pain. She walked him over by the pig pens and shoved him into the fence. "DUNNA TAKE ME MAN'S BEER AGAIN, YA STUPID SWINE!"

The man got up and ran away. Even some of the pigs went and ran all the way to the other side of the pen. Arthur and Lenny fell down and laughed hysterically. "Ya scared the pigs, darlin'!" Arthur said while laughing.

Lilly staggered over to them but tripped over Lenny and fell on top of Arthur. "Oof! Sorry!"

Arthur rolled over on top of her and began to kiss her. "Oh, is it your to-do list we need to focus on now?"

Lilly laughed and smacked his arm. "Not in frontah Lenny, ya damn bithiúnach!" _[reprobate!]_

"Aww, what's wrong? We can be discreet!"

"I'm right here, Arthur," Lenny chuckled next to them. All three of them burst out laughing.

"Excuse me." Lilly looked up and saw a man in a dark blue suit and a bowler cap. He had a fancy mustache. "Are you Miss Lillian Rose O'Callaghan?" The man had a Welsh accent.

Arthur arched his head back. "Not for long. She's gonna be Mrs. Morgan soon." The three started laughing again.

"Ahem. I have a letter for you, Miss O'Callaghan," the man said with an emphasis on her last name.

Lilly groaned, got up, and stumbled over to the man. "Thank ya very much, sir. I do apologize for me friend and me fiancé. They are quite unruly." She held her hand out and the man gave her the envelope.

"Hmm. So it would seem."

Lilly looked at the front of the envelope. The writing was in Gaeilge. "Chun Mo Chuntaois" _[To My Countess]_ she said out loud. "Shite. Is this from Patrick Nolan?!"

"What is it, Lilleh?!" Arthur yelled. "What about Patrick?"

Lilly opened the letter and started reading.

_My Dearest Lillian,_

_I have finally found you. I am not yet capable of retrieving you..._

Lilly scoffed. "Retrieving me? What is he, a dog playin' fetch?!"

"That wasn't what he intended, my lady," the man replied. "He only wishes to-"

Lilly put her palm up. "Silence, please!"

_...but I do hope to see you post haste. I have missed you, my dear. I came to the States some time after the news of your brother's untimely death reached Galway. We all thought your family sank with The Emerald Star. I was immediately dispatched to find you._

_I have been here for fourteen long, agonizing years_ _, and I thought my search in vain until I received news of your involvement in the Blackwater Massacre. Oh, my poor darling girl. To think of how you've been forced to sink so low from your birthright to a common outlaw. It pains me to..._

Lilly looked up at the man. "Huh. Common outlaw, hmm?"

The man removed his cap. "Is he wrong, my lady?"

"Half wrong. But you don't have to keep calling me that, Mr...um..."

"Pierce. Joseph Pierce, my...apologies."

"Miss O'Callaghan will do, Mr. Pierce."

Arthur came up behind her and peeked over her shoulder. "Shit. It is him, ain't it?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, mo chuisle, it is." Lilly continued reading.

_...think of your hardships and troubles._

_I also_ _heard disturbing news about your time in Saint Denis. But all of this can be put behind you, my dear. When I come for you, please, let me take you home. I have missed you. I have missed the girl I played with in Achrann Castle, in the gardens of your estate Darach ar an gCnoc, and in the bogs of MoyCullen. I look forward to seeing an solas i mo chroí [the light in my heart] again. Please, whatever your transgressions, whatever your circumstances in the last seventeen years, come home_ _with me._

_Your Intended,_

_Sir Patrick John Finnley Alexander Nolan_ , _12th Earl of Galway_

Lilly folded the letter back up. "Oak on the Hill," she chuckled sadly. "I haven't thought about that name in such a long time."

"Oak on the Hill?" Arthur asked.

"The name of our estate. Darach ar an gCnoc. There was a hill not too far from there with an ancient oak tree. It was massive and it was my favorite climbing tree. Is the estate still intact, Mr. Pierce?"

"I do believe so. The tree, however...I'm afraid it withered and died shortly after your family departed for America," Mr. Pierce explained.

Lilly's eyes started to water. "Oh dear...how?"

"Not sure. Many superstitions about it, too."

"Such as?"

"Your absence broke the heart of the tree."

"...My absence or my family's?"

"Yours. It was a fairy hill. Do you not remember the girl you played with there?"

"...What girl?"

"The folks around there called her, what was it..."an páiste dearg", I believe."

"...The red child?" Lilly blinked a few times. "It...sounds familiar but...I can't recall...I..."

Lilly felt Arthur's hand squeeze hers. He whispered in her ear. "Um, Lilly, there's somethin' I gotta tell you when we're done here."

Lilly shook her head as if to clear it. She put the letter back in the envelope and stashed it. "Please inform the twelfth Earl of Galway that I will not be returning to Ireland. I have a life here and if need be, I rescind my title to someone Her Majesty finds fit to bestow it upon. I am to be married to Arthur Morgan and do not wish to marry Patrick Nolan."

"Sir Patrick, Miss O'Callaghan. He was knighted shortly after his father's passing," the man corrected.

"I see. Well, offer my congratulations to Sir Patrick. And my condolences to the passing of his father Sir Liam. I remember him quite fondly."

"But Miss Lillian, you cannot just give up your birthright. And you can't marry this...commoner! Your marriage to Sir Patrick is a Royal Decree!

"Well, I love this "commoner" and to hell with a god damn Royal Decree! This is America, not Ireland! I don't care if God himself demands it, I will not marry Sir Patrick and he will have to find another noblewoman's hand! And besides! I cannot give him an heir! I am barren!"

The man gave her an incredulous expression. "...You're what?"

"I am infertile. I...had an accident three years ago." Lilly lifted her shirt and exposed the scar on her abdomen. "I fell from a tree and was impaled by a stick on the way down. Irreparable damage was done to my womb." Lilly tucked her shirt back in. "Now, if Sir Patrick needs my response in writing, Mr. Pierce, I will be more than happy to provide a letter for you to give him."

"No, I can tell him the gist of it, Miss O'Callaghan. Thank you for your time." He put his hat back on. "I must take my leave. Good day to you."

"Good day."

The man left and Lilly held herself. "...Arthur...he found me. What am I gonna do?"

Arthur put his arms around her. "As I said, I won't let him take you. But you sure as shit won't go with him on your own, will you, darlin'?"

Lilly turned around and put her arms around Arthur's neck. "Please don't let him take me."

"I won't, mo grá."

Lilly saw Lenny and chuckled. "Poor man is passed out."

Arthur turned his head and laughed. "Ha! Just as well. Hope he didn't overhear too much. Not that he'll remember any of it."

A snort came out of Lilly's throat and it was followed by a chortle. "This is true."

"You ready to go back to camp? I think we've had enough celebration for one night. Especially Lenny."

"Yes, mo chuisle."

"Alright." Arthur looked at her with lust in his eyes. "I'm still goin' to have my way with you multiple times tonight, though. Oh! I forgot! Sean! We got news on Sean today!"

"Really?!" Lilly smiled. "Oh! I miss my deartháir!" _[brother!]_

"He's bein' held in Blackwater but there's talk of movin' him. But don't worry, we'll get him back. And you're gonna help make sure of that, aren't you?"

"Of course. Can't wait to see the look on his face that we're livin' in the same tent _and_ engaged." Lilly looked at her ring. "It is very beautiful, Arthur. I do love it, and," she looked at him. "I love you. And I'm sorry I was such an arse earlier."

Arthur stroked her hair. "I was too." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Forgiven."

"Forgiven. So was that the thing you wanted to tell me?"

"I can explain that on the way back. Let's get Lenny and go."

* * *

_9-year-old Lilly, with a ponytail and in dark blue winter coat, a blue winter hate, brown leather fingerless gloves, blue overalls, and black winter boots was sitting in a carriage. Papa's boys went and snatched her up. Again. This was sixth time in a year and a half._

_"Ya know, Papa keeps sendin' ya after me but I just keep killin' all of ya. Don'tcha get tired of hearin' about yer comrades fallin' in battle?" All the men were in black suits and had brown hair. Very generic looking. And they were silent and ignoring her. Lilly was bored. She looked down at her restraints and sighed. Once again, they were slacked as she planned. Lilly began discreetly undoing them. "I'm bored. Can one of yas talk tah me so I don't get any ideas about escapin'?" Still no words. Lilly was almost done with the ropes. "ONE OF YA FUCKS NEEDS TAH TALK TAH ME!"_

_They all looked at her. "Okay, okay!" the man in front of her said. "What do you want to talk about, kid?"_

_"How many more men does Papa plan on sendin' after me?"_

_"This is the last time, I'm sure."_

_"He needs to stop sendin' dumb men who aren't immune to me shout'."_

_"No one is immune to your shout, Miss Lilly," the man to her left said._

_"Deaf men are. He should send some deaf men next. Not that it would help."_

_"Why's that?"_

_Lilly looked at the man in front of her who was just staring at her. "What are ya gawkin' at, man? Don'tcha know it's rude tah stare?"_

_"I just find it hard to believe you've killed so many people. Not just the ones Papa sends to fetch you but the others you killed in Saint Denis. Do you know what they call you?" the man across from her asked._

_"The Fidus Et Audax Hunter. I got newspaper clippings of all me kills in Saint Denis, ya know."_

_"Do you like killing?"_

_Lilly cocked her head. "...Only bad people. But even then, it's..." Lilly sighed and leaned her head back. "I do like killin', but I don't like that I like killin', if that makes any sense."_

_"It does. You're only nine. A girl your age shouldn't be doin' any of this."_

_Lilly chuckled. "Tell that tah Papa. He's the one who honed me killer instincts...among other things."_

_"They say you're the daughter of Death, Lilly," the man to her left said. "Now, I've seen some shit, kid, but the things you did to some of our pals was beyond belief."_

_Lilly grinned up at him. "Like what?"_

_"You disemboweled a man and hung him from a building by his entrails_. _"_

_"Ha! I sure did! He deserved it, though."_

_The man in front of her leaned forward. "Why?"_

_Lilly sighed and glanced at him. "He beat up Sean and tried tah gut him."_

_"...Oh. So, all the men you killed were bad men?"_

_Lilly smiled at him. "Yer new, aren't ya?"_

_"Yes, Miss Lilly."_

_"New and polite." Lilly realized he was a young man. Couldn't be older than twenty. She was going to let him live. Lilly needed someone to send a message back anyway. Lilly took a quick gander around and saw no one was paying attention. "What is yer name, sir?"_

_"Frederick."_

_"Well, it's nice tah meet ya. Hey, can someone please help me with me jacket? It's bloody hot in here."_

_The man to her right started loosening her bonds. He helped with her jacket. Lilly quickly reached into her overalls, pulled out a throwing knife, and threw it into the corner man's face. Lilly grabbed another knife and stabbed the man with her jacket in the throat. Quick as lightning, Lilly flipped her blade around and stabbed the man to her left in the neck. Then Lilly looked at the last two men with a smile. "Ya boys wanna test me now or what?"_

_Frederick stared at her in horror while the other man pulled out his gun. "To hell with this!"_

_Lilly threw the knife and it pinned his hand to the carriage wall. He shouted, Lilly grabbed another knife, and she went and sliced his throat open. Lilly sighed, grabbed her throwing knife from the first dead man, moved her fourth kill over, and sat next to Frederick. "Now, let us discuss me terms, Frederick," she said casually as she stared ahead._

_"...What terms?"_

_"I let ya live if ya give Papa a message." Lilly had blood all over her face and she suddenly wished her chemise was long sleeved...and not white._

_"_ _What's...w-what is the message?"_

_Lilly grinned at him as if killing a man was a normal thing for her. And it was. "Tell Papa that if he keeps sendin' more of his men after me, I'll start sendin' him their body parts. Their eyes, tongues, fingers, toes, ears...even their padiddles if I hafta make a stronger point. Also, tell him if he keeps sendin' men after that, and he keeps tryin' tah go after Mo Fear Álainn, I'll-"_

_"Mo what?"_

_"Arthur. My Beautiful Man. It's Gaeilge. He saved me the first time. He is me guardian now, but unbeknownst tah him, I am his guardian too. And he will never know about it. He'd try and take me revenge from me. But don't tell Papa that part. Just the Mo Fear Álainn part."_

_Frederick gaped at her. "I...okay."_

_"Anyway, he goes after me family, that includes Da, Athair, Arthur, Susan, Bessie, and Annabelle, and I will come back and fulfill me promise."_

_"What promise?"_

_"Tah slice off all his limbs and feed 'em tah the alligators." Frederick shuddered and Lilly sighed. "Well, shit." Obviously the boy was traumatized now. "I'm lettin' ya live because yer a good guy, understand? I don't kill good people."_

_"...Uh huh."_

_Lilly stared at him. "Did ya get all of what I said?"_

_"...I think so."_

_"Well, just so there ain't no confusion, Frederick," Lilly reached into her pouch and pulled out a small notepad and pencil. "Would ya like tah write it all down?" Frederick went to take the things but Lilly saw he was shaking. "No, nevermind. I'll write it down." Lilly rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Stupid Papa, sendin' a greenhorn after me. He's gotta be goin' senile, I swear. Oh, and tell him if he kills ya fer failin' yer mission, I'll chop his balls off and hang 'em on my wall as a trophy. Understand?"_

_Frederick made a nervous laugh. "I think you should write that down, too."_

_"Excellent idea." Lilly started humming and kicking her feet as she wrote. When she finished, she stuffed the note into Frederick's pocket. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I got to see the driver about our horses."_

_"What horses?"_

_Lilly opened the carriage door and grinned at Frederick. "The one you're takin' tah go home, and the one I'm takin' tah go home." And with that, she climbed out and up._


	16. The Grave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poem is "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" by anonymous. Rated M for sexual content.

The next morning, Lilly and Arthur made an announcement to the whole camp about their engagement and everyone was ecstatic. Da and Athair said they'd pay for a proper wedding, although Arthur and Lilly felt they had to get married immediately. When Dutch and Hosea asked why, Lilly looked at Arthur as if asking for his approval.

"It's your letter, darlin'," he said. "It ain't up to me."

Lilly smiled, took a shaky breath in, and gave both her adoptive fathers the letter from the twelfth Earl of Galway. "I will answer questions after you finish readin', not before" Lilly said in a stern voice.

As both the men sat down to read the letter, Susan came up to Arthur with a letter for him. "Huh, speakin' of letters," Arthur chuckled. "Who is it from?"

Lilly bit into an apple and began to chew when Miss Grimshaw said who it was from. Arthur's ex-fianceé, Mary Gillis. Lilly almost choked on her apple. "Ha! We both got letters from our former betrothals! Right after gettin' engaged, too! That's feckin' hilarious!"

A cackle escaped Arthur and Lilly offered him the apple. "Mm, thank you," he said as he bit and chewed. "It says Mary Linton," Arthur spoke with a mouthful of food.

Lilly took another bite and smacked as she chewed. "She musta got married, mo chuisle. Well, read the damn thing. I gotta go answer questions. Show me after, 'kay babe?"

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "That pet name is so peculiar."

"You don't like it?" Lilly offered him the apple again and he took a bite gratefully.

"Ionno, I ain't never heard it before, babe."

Lilly finished chewing with a giggle and took another bite. "Mmm, well, shit." Lilly slapped him on the butt.

"Ow!" he said with a laugh.

"Oh that didn't even hurt, ya big baby!"

Arthur grabbed her ass and pulled her close. It made her yelp. "You're my baby..."

Lilly broke into a giggle fit as she blushed. "Arthur, that's...are ya into that sort of thing?"

"I have no idea."

"Lilly?" Dutch and Hosea called her over.

Lilly kissed Arthur's cheek and as she turned to walk away, she heard a muffled slap and felt a sting on her butt cheek. "Ow! Arthur!" she laughed

"Who's the big baby now?" he yelled playfully.

Lilly rolled her eyes and sat down with her fathers. "Hi."

"The Emerald Star?" Dutch asked. "You were on The Emerald Star?"

"Yes."

"Did you know Sean and his father were on it too?"

Lilly, for a moment, felt a sense of panic but she did not let it show.

* * *

 _5-year-old Lilly rocked her crying baby brother as the boat hit the water. She could hear people screaming and dying and she wanted to cover her ears but Lilly had to comfort her brother. James was more terrified than she was. Brian put an arm around her. "Hey. We'll be fine, deirfiúr beag._ _"_ _[little sister.]_

_Lilly started crying. "But Mummy and Daddy and Janet...they're gone! I saw them go!"_

_Brian kissed her auburn hair and rocked with her. "You remember the lullaby Mum used to sing to you?"_

_"Y-Yes?"_

_"Why don't ya sing it tah wee Jamie here?"_

_Lilly gaped at him. "Brian, ya know how I feel about that!_ _Ya know what will happen!"_

_"I know, but it's not like I'm askin' ya tah shout," Brian whispered. "Do it for Jamie, aye?"_

_Lilly stared around at everyone bashfully, then looked down at the crying bairn. "But I can't do it. I can't stand seein' people...look like that when I sing."_

_The man from before scooted over to Lilly with his son. "Hey there, lass. It seems to me ya got an ear fer music?"_

_"...I do, sir."_

_"Well, I fer one could use a song tah comfort me. As could me son. How about everyone else?" The man looked around. "We could all use a song right now."_

_When everyone on the boat agreed with the statement, Lilly looked at everyone and frowned. "Okay. Don't say I didn't warn ya all." She looked at wee Jamie and began to sing._

_Suantraí sí, a linbhín_ _[Fairy lullaby, my little child]_

_Luasc go mall sa chliabhán_ _[Swing slowly in the cradle]_

 _Lú lá luí, a linbhín_. _[Lu la lee, my little child]_

 _Dún do shúil, a naíonáin_ _[Close your eyes, little infant]_

_Everbody in the boat stared at her wide eyed, including James and Brian. There was something in her voice that was angelic. It had an echo that bounced over the water and soon everyone on the ship and in the lifeboats within earshot stopped crying and screaming._

_Seoithín seoithín seoithín seó_. _[Lulla, lulla, lullaby]_

 _Seoithín seoithín seoithín seó_ _[Lulla, lulla, lullaby]_

 _Seoithín seoithín seoithín seó_ _[Lulla, lulla, lullaby]_

 _Suantraí sí, a linbhín,_ _[Fairy lullaby, my little child]_

 _A thaiscidh, a stór_ _[My darling, my love]_

_Lilly gandered around at everyone looking at her. As per usual, the pupils of their eyes were dialated. She looked at James and Brian. Their eyes were too. She hated doing this to people._

_Luí go socair, luí go ciúin_ _[Lie quietly, lie calmly]_

 _Codladh sámh, a ghrághil_ _[Sleep well, little fair one]_

 _Fan id' shuan, a thaiscidh buan_ _[Stay asleep forever, my love]_

 _Go n-éirí tú ar maidin_ _[Til you wake in the morning]_

_When the song was finished, James was asleep and Lilly sighed in relief. She dared not look up at anyone but the man patted her shoulder and she stared at him. He was smiling. "Now that is a very good song. Me wife would sing it tah me son here. Ya sung it well, lassie."_

_Lilly smiled. Brian did too. "Thank you, Mr..."_

_"MacGuire. Darragh MacGuirre. And this is me son, Sean."_

* * *

"Hey, Lilly!" Hosea snapped his fingers and Lilly shook herself out of the memory.

"Oh, sorry. What was the question?" she asked.

"Did you know Sean was on The Emerald Star?" Dutch repeated.

"I think he mentioned it a while ago, yeah. Next question," she said with a bite of the apple.

"Your family died on the ship?"

"Yes. Aside from James and Brian and me. Next."

"Your birthright?"

Lilly groaned. "Okay, uh...my father. He was..." Lilly sighed. "I'm the second Countess of Moycullen."

They both went slack-jawed. "You're a noble?"

"Yes, but only because my father was given the title of Earl and was knighted. My mom was made Countess, so that makes me the second one."

"What did he do?"

"Um, Sir Liam endorsed him. Life long friends, you see. Ahem, next!"

"Nasty business in Saint Denis?"

"Nope. Next."

The men laughed. "Okay, uh...Dara...what?"

"Darach ar an gCnoc. Oak on the Hill. Our estate. It was a manor."

"You lived in a manor?"

Lilly sighed. "Really, Da. Molly is high born, why is my past in Ireland so surprisin'?"

"Because it was _never_ brought up until now, and you're...well," Dutch looked at Hosea, then back at Lilly. "You two are apples and oranges."

"She was raised different. Next."

"So, this Patrick guy. What makes him think he can just pluck you from your life here?" Dutch asked humorously.

"We had an arranged marriage."

Dutch raised a brow. "Huh. Okay. That explains why you guys want to get married so quickly."

"Wait a second," Hosea interjected as he waved his hand and lowered his head. "How..." Hosea raised his head with a confused expression. "Forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but if he marries you, how will you...well..."

"Provide an heir? I can't. I told Mr. Pierce, his...manservant, that much. Royal Decree or not, Sir Patrick won't have any legal reason to hold me to the obligation. But, um...I do remember him bein' quite adamant about our engagement."

" _How_ adamant?"

Lilly held her forehead. "He called me the "light of his heart. And he would brag to everyone about our engagement. _Everyone._ So, even as a little girl, I was the object of envy for every god damn lass within fifty fuckin' miles and the apple of every lad's eye within twice the distance. Not to mention he spent the last fourteen years lookin' for me. You think he'll just give up?"

"Good point."

"Well shit," Dutch said as he looked at Hosea. "Time to break out her marriage savings."

Lilly gaped at them both. "What?"

"We've been savin' up for this. And we were smart about it. We put it all in a bank," Hosea explained.

"...How much have ya saved?" Lilly asked.

"About, oh...seventeen thousand dollars."

"...You saved all that money and you aren't usin' it to get us the fuck outta here?!"

"No. You and Arthur deserve a real wedding," Dutch said.

"Arthur!" Lilly yelled. "Get over here! Now, please?!"

Arthur came over looking grim. "Yes, Lilly?"

Lilly saw his expression. "Okay, what is the priority right now? The letter you got or the fact that these two god damn knuckleheads have seventeen fuckin' thousand dollars saved in the bank for my...our wedding?!"

"Hmm." Arthur smiled at both the men. "You managed to get that much?"

"Wait, you knew about this?"

"Yup. I put money into it too. As did most everyone here." Lilly blinked a few times. Arthur sat down next to her and laughed. "What's wrong?"

"I think I'm havin' a feckin' stroke or I've gone into some other dimension where a well paid wedding takes precedence over survival! Well, I will not be acceptin' that money! We need it for the gang!"

"That amount ain't enough to get us out of this mess, Lilly," Arthur said.

"But it's a good feckin' start!"

"Now Lillian, be reasonable here," Dutch said. "You are my daughter, you are Hosea's daughter, and you are goin' to be Arthur's wife. You, especially, deserve a very nice wedding fit for a...Countess."

"A handfasting would be good enough," Lilly said angrily. "And yes, ya won't know what it is but it is where the term "tyin' the knot" came from. It is literally tyin' a knot while the groom and bride hold hands. Very old Irish tradition. Very old West European tradition that is actually taken very seriously."

"Then we'll put it in the wedding!" Arthur snapped. "Lillian! What is-"

"And what about a dress?! If ya think I'm gonna be wearin' a dress, think again!"

Arthur cocked his head to one side and glared at Lilly. "You're not wearin' a dress? Not even for your own wedding?"

"Nope!"

"But Lilly! You have to wear a dress!"

"The fuck I do! I don't need a god damn fancy wedding! I don't need a god damn dress! I don't need seventeen thousand dollars to have a wedding! I'M NOT DOING IT!"

Dutch and Hosea snapped up and backed away, but Arthur, of course did not. He smiled at her. "You know that don't work on me."

Lilly smirked, then looked at Dutch and Hosea. "I'M NOT-"

Arthur grabbed her face and kissed her deeply. "Please? How can you not want a real wedding? You were gonna get one with Patrick so I _know_ you thought about it like any other little girl. It's what all little girls think about."

"No they don't. Expensive weddings are for rich people. We ain't rich."

"How much is your estate worth?"

"...What?"

"Darach ar an gCnoc. What is it worth?"

Lilly sighed. "Well, if it's been kept up and maintained..." Lilly looked at all three men. "Just over two hundred twenty thousand pounds."

Dutch and Hosea sat back down. "How many dollars is that?" Arthur asked.

Lilly blushed and lowered her head. "Two hundred eighty thousand dollars. But that's if it's been maintained over the years and I doubt it has."

"What about acreage? How much is that worth?"

"...at least a hundred thousand dollars. But Arthur, how am I supposed to sell it? I'd have to go over there!"

"Then let's do it!"

"...What?"

"You and me. Let's go over to Ireland and see what you got!"

"But...that would take forever!"

"No it wouldn't! It would take us, what? Maybe half a week by train to get to New York. It would take us a week, maybe a week and a half to get to Galway by boat! How long would it take to get to your estate?"

"Just a couple hours, I would think. But who is goin' to want a run down old...no we can't. We need to get Sean back first! I'm not leavin' him in Blackwater! And we don't even have money to get...to..." Lilly paused and looked at her fathers. They were smiling.

"We'll lend you the money from your savings account. Think of it as an investment to get us the hell outta here and back out west. Hell, we could move everyone to a new country if we wanted!"

"Lillian." Arthur held her face and kissed her lips. "Patrick can't find you if you ain't in the country, can he?"

Lilly repressed a smile. "...You brilliant eejit! But I want us to be married first! The handfasting will do...for now. But when we get back...we'll get married. And then we will get the hell...oh no."

"What?"

"I...I don't know if I can handle goin' on another ship, Arthur."

"We'll bring your tea."

Lilly looked at Dutch and Hosea. "And what about you guys? Can you handle things while we're gone?"

"Of course!" Hosea said. "We may be old, but we're not senile!"

Lilly laughed and looked at Arthur with a big smile. "Okay. Let's do it. We do a handfastin', get Sean back, and then we go. Molly!" Lilly got up and started jogging around. "Molly! I need a favor! Oh shit! Arthur!" Lilly turned back around. "What did Mary want?"

Dutch and Hosea looked at Arthur in shock. Arthur frowned. "She needs my help with somethin' but I-"

"Oh go do it!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I know ya need yer knight in shinin' armor fix since I ain't a damsel in distress and I trust ya! Go do it! Molly!" Lilly went walking around. "Molly, where ya at?!"

Lilly passed by Kieran Duffy, the O'Driscoll gang member they caught up in Colter. He was still tied to a tree. "Please, Miss O'Callaghan. I can't stay tied up any more."

Lilly stopped and looked at him with a devilish smirk. "Well, ya better start talkin', then."

"I told ya, I don't know nothin'," he begged pathetically.

Lilly sighed. The man sounded hoarse. Lilly opened her canteen of water. "Thirsty?"

"Yes," he said with his head bowed.

Lilly approached him and gave him some water to drink. "There you go. Oh, have the rest if you want, ya greedy little piggy. I can always get more."

Kieran finished it all off and took a few breaths. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now..." Lilly looked around for a chair. When she didn't find one, she sat on the ground with her legs crossed and her knees help up by her inner arms. "So, you gotta know somethin', man. I hate seein' you like this."

"...You do?"

"Of course! You seem like a decent man. But you gotta know somethin'. Colm O'Driscoll ain't got no love for any of his members. Why are ya bein' loyal?"

"I...I don't know. I just, I don't like bein' disloyal." The man bowed his head again.

"Hmm, I can understand that. But how long you been runnin' with them boys?"

"Only a little while."

"Hmm. Well, you know my Da over there? He just loves loyalty. So, how about you give me some information and I go talk to him about lettin' you go?"

"You'd do that?"

"Sure! I give a little, you give a little!" she said with a smile. "Seems fair, right? And maybe I can talk him into lettin' ya in our gang. But," she stood up. "I can't promise you that bit. Just the lettin' go part."

Kieran nodded enthusiastically. "Okay. Um...O'Driscoll's is holed up at Six Point Cabin. It's in Cumberland Forest."

"Ah, I see. Well, do ya mind if I go check it out first before I talk to Dutch about lettin' you go?"

"I suppose," he said glumly.

"Okay. I'll see about you gettin' food too." Lilly made her way over to Dutch. "Hey Da! I gotta run out. Please see to it that Mr. Duffy gets some food," she breathed as she walked by.

"Why?"

"He gave me a lead."

"How? Where?"

Lilly whistled for Liath. "By bein' nice! I'm checkin' out Six Point Cabin!"

Dutch laughed. "You want someone to go with you?"

"Nah I'll be fine! Pretty sure my wolves will accompany me if they're skulkin' about! Might go huntin' afterwards!" Lilly climbed onto Liath then trotted out of camp and sure enough, Brian and James were waiting for her. "God, you two are still growin'? Are you wolves or prehistoric bear cubs?!"

Lilly was only teasing, but she was thinking they were still growing. Their gray and black marks were disappearing a bit more each day and she wondered if they would be completely white one day. She clicked her tongue and they galloped to the north. Lilly was so excited. She was going back to Ireland, to Darach ar an gCnoc! It was going to be so good to see it again, and her oak tree. But then she remembered it was dead. Balls. It took a little while to get to where she was going but she managed to find her way. She'd found a hill, got off her horse, and peeked over the tip. She crawled on her belly and...yep. There were plenty of O'Driscolls about. The wolves started sniffing about and suddenly they charged.

"Hey! Wait a-oof!" And everything went dark.

* * *

Arthur and Hosea got back to camp after nightfall. They had gone out to rob a carriage from a fences' relative, after Arthur came back from helping Mary Linton, formerly known as Mary Gillis. Married a guy but he was dead now. Poor Mary. Arthur saw Lilly's horse was gone. "Hmm, guess she's out huntin'."

He dismounted and walked over to the stew pot to spoon himself some stew. He was hungry. Hosea grinned as he spooned his own bowl. "Well, that was a nice take."

"Yes it was. I think I might be in the wrong business."

Hosea laughed at the joke. "You may be right."

Arthur took a spoonful of food when Dutch approached. "Hey, son. How did things go?"

"Fine," Arthur replied gruffly. "Stole a stage coach, saved a kid from joinin' a cult, just the same old, same old, Dutch. Hmm, did Lilly go out huntin'?"

"Yes. Said she might after checkin' out Kieran's information."

"What information?"

"Apparently she was nice and the boy told her about some place called Six Point Cabin. Somethin' about O'Driscoll's bein' over there in Cumberland Forest somewhere," Hosea explained casually.

"Mr. Dutch! Sir!" Kieran started shouting. "Did you let her go out there alone?!"

Dutch turned around. "What? Ha! Lilly can handle herself! She even got two wolves to go with her!"

"But...but, but Colm was there!"

Dutch, Hosea, and Arthur glanced at each other. Uh oh. Dutch looked at Kieran in disbelief and slowly walked to him. "Colm O'Driscoll? You didn't tell her Colm was there!?"

"I did...I...I think!" Kieran flinched. "I thought I did! I swear I must've told her!"

Dutch went to hit the boy but Arthur blocked his arm. "Easy, Dutch. Lilly's gonna be fine. She took Brian and Ja-" Arthur heard barking. He smiled. "See? That's probably her now. I'll go see."

Arthur turned and went jogging over to the horses. He went down the trail and saw James and Brian running in. "Well, hey there boys! Ya have a good huntin' day?" They stopped in front of Arthur and barked at him repeatedly. They circled around him and kept barking. Arthur shook his head and knelt down. They licked his face and whined before running back towards the trail. "Ha! You pups sure are strange!"

Arthur spotted Lilly's horse Liath coming in slowly through the entrance. Lilly was in the saddle. She seemed tired. The pups ran up to her and barked. They seemed frenzied. Arthur chuckled. They were probably riled up. "Well, what did you get today, darlin'?" Arthur asked cheerfully as he ambled down the path. "Some bison? And elk? An O'Driscoll?" As he got closer his gut told him something was wrong. There was nothing on the back of her horse. The pups kept running back to him and then to Liath. "Lillian?"

He started running to her and when he got to her, his blood ran cold. "Holy shit!"

Blood was dripping down her legs and Liath was just stained with the color. Lilly glanced at Arthur weakly. "...Arthur...help...me down..."

Lilly grabbed his hands and she fell off on her ass. "Lillian! What happened?"

"Just help me to bed, please." Arthur nodded and helped her up. He clung to her hands as the boys and Liath followed. "James, Brian, go on ahead. I'll catch up."

The boys went running into camp and barked like mad dogs. "What happened? Did Colm O'Driscoll do this!?" he asked angrily

"It wasn't Colm. Wasn't O'Driscolls. Someone else...did this..." Lilly fell to her knees.

"Lillian, I gotta carry you. Now," he embraced her and when he put his hands on her back, Arthur assumed it was sweat he felt but she screamed out.

"DON'T TOUCH MY BACK!" she sobbed.

Arthur tried to keep calm as he pulled back his arms. Blood. Lots of it. "Oh my God. What did they do to you?"

Lilly looked at him. She was sweating and was deathly pale. "Don't look. It's bad. I don't want you to see. I don't want anyone to see. Just get me home."

"Arthur!" Dutch and a few others came running. Arthur turned and showed them the blood on him. "Jesus Christ, what happened to her."

"JUST TAKE ME TO THE GOD DAMN TENT, YA QUEASY ARSES! IT'S JUST BLOOD! AND DO NOT LOOK AT-"

Arthur helped her up and shushed her. "Lilly, we need to look at it. Stop bein' stubborn, okay?"

"You don't understand, Arthur...they..." Lilly slumped down and Arthur picked her up. She was out. He tossed her over his shoulder. "Let's take her around the side. We shouldn't let people see her like this."

Arthur went through the trees just outside camp and Dutch, Hosea, Charles, and Miss Grimshaw all met him at the tent. Arthur went inside and laid Lilly face down on the bed. Susan lit a lantern and gasped. "Oh my God."

Arthur grabbed his knife and cut her shirt open. When he pulled the fabric apart, he froze. Her whole back was completely cut up. Slices and cuts criss crossed her whole back. What kind of weapon did this? And there was black ooze everywhere. What was that?

"A-Arthur..." Lilly lifted her head, or tried to. "Flogged."

"...Flogged?" Arthur went to her head. "Babe, listen. Who did this? If it wasn't Colm, who did this?"

"Colm didn't do this?" Hosea asked.

"No, she said it was someone else."

"...Arthur, they...I need you to stay until I'm...I'm gone..." Lilly panted out.

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Gone?" He kissed her head. "No, you ain't goin' anywhere, mo stóirín. I won't let you." _[my little darling.]_

Charles knelt down next to him. "Arthur...she's been poisoned. I've never seen anythin' like this kind but she's...uh..."

Arthur glared at Charles. "Do not tell me she's dyin'!" Arthur turned back to her. "You aren't dyin', okay? You stay with me. You've had close calls like this before, sweetheart."

"...Not this time, Arthur," she groaned. "Just talk to me in Gaeilge, mo chuisle."

Tá muid chun pósadh! Fanann tú liom, mo bhean chéile!" _[We are to marry! You stay with me, my wife!]_

"Ní féidir liom fanacht, mo ghrá," Lilly said weakly. "Tá brón orm nach bhfuair tú chuig mo thír dhúchais." _[I can not wait, my love. I'm sorry you didn't get to my home country.]_

"I am your home, Lilly!" He grabbed her hand and put it to his heart. "Hertis rote, remember?"

"...I'm sorry I never told you Papa was still after me but I...had to protect you...and Da...and Athair...from him. The less you knew, the safer you were..."

"That's why you never told us? To keep us safe?"

"Yes. But you'll be safe when I'm gone...keep my boys safe, okay?"

"No! You're gonna keep them safe!"

"Da? Athair? Please take care of Arthur...and...Arthur...I..."

"Lillian!" Her breathing was slowing and he knew she was fading. "No, please don't go, Lilly. I love you."

"And...I love you, Arthur Morgan...mo fhear céile. _[my husband.]_ Now and forever. I will...find you...just wish we coulda got married. Handfastin' woulda been nice."

"Can we still do that?"

"...If I can wait...I think I can...ribbons or cords will do."

Arthur heard Miss Grimshaw move around. "I'll get Molly!" A few minutes went by and Molly came running in with ribbons. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Lilly's back. Molly covered her mouth and cried.

"Two...will do, Molly."

"...Two what?"

"Two ribbons, silly. Take my hand, Arthur."

Arthur took her hand and Molly started wrapping the blue and red ribbons. "You know how to do this?"

"I'm Irish, of course I do," Molly cried sadly. Everyone else was crying. Molly finished tying an infinity knot. "Now, vows."

"I, Lillian Rose O'Callaghan...ugh, take Arthur Morgan as my husband and soulmate...now and forever. Because death...is but a dream. I will meet you on the banks of Tír na nÓg."

Arthur trembled. "I...Arthur Morgan, take Lillian Rose O'Callaghan as my wife and soulmate, now and forever. Because death is but a dream. I will meet you on the banks of Tír na nÓg."

"Now you are bound together."

Lilly smiled. "Thank you Molly..."

When the newlyweds pulled their hands apart, the ribbons formed an infinity knot. Lilly looked at her husband. "There we go. That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

Arthur laughed sadly as he stroked Lilly's hair. "That was great."

Lilly chuckled. "If I see Isaac and Eliza and Bessie and Annabelle, I'll tell them y'all say hello." But then she exhaled slowly, her eyes darkened, and her arm went limp. Arthur just saw her die and he fell on his rump.

"Oh no..." Molly sobbed.

She got up and embraced Dutch. They both were crying. Arthur just stared at his dead wife. He pressed his forehead to hers. "Is breá liom tú, mo bhean chéile." _[I love you, my wife.]_

* * *

Lilly had been dressed in a blue and white suit for her funeral. She hated dresses. Arthur insisted she not be buried in one. He stared at her dead body in the ground. She looked so peaceful with her auburn hair all around her. Lilly looked like she was sleeping, but Arthur knew better. He knelt down and put his customized pocketwatch in her vest pocket. He kissed her, got up, and started burying her. Charles and him made fast work of it. Charles carved her a very nice headstone into the oak tree she was being buried by. Practically into the base of it. Lilly always loved trees, especially oak trees.

* * *

Arthur sat in the tent staring down into the bourbon bottle. He'd shaved his beard for Lilly's funeral. He chugged the last of the bourbon and passed out in their bed. The sheets were still covered in blood but it still smelled like apples and Arthur didn't have the heart to wash them or throw them out. Time seemed to stop in camp for the five days that went by, except when they finally got Sean. He was devastated to hear of his deirfiúr's passing and Sean found it difficult to laugh. They all did. Arthur mostly stayed in his tent and drank. He'd been there for five days and Arthur's place looked like a pigsty. When Miss Grimshaw had come to clean for him, he'd called her names and kicked her out.

As he slept, he had a dream about her. Each night he slept, so he stopped sleeping for a while but then Arthur would miss Lilly and he'd drink into a stupor so he'd dream about her. He'd dream about making love to her, about sleeping together, but mostly about being with her. But this dream he just woke up from was different. There was a giant red wolf in it and it talked. It sounded like a woman and it kept telling him to go see Lilly at her grave. But he dismissed it when he woke up. Arthur missed his wife. He got out of bed, looked at himself in the vanity mirror, and that's when he got angry. He kicked it over and started throwing things around. The nightstands, the chairs, the mirror of the vanity table, the clothes, the chests...but when he went to throw the books, he stopped. Those were her books. There was one book in particular that caught his eye and he grabbed it. Irish Love Poems.

* * *

_32-year-old Arthur was in his grizzly outlaw outfit walking through the woods when he saw a bare foot dangling off a branch. He looked up and smiled up at Lilly. She was reading._

_"What are you up to, Lilly?"_

_Lilly was in her custom gunslinger outfit but was in blue jean shorts and her auburn hair was down. Lilly looked down and her eyes lit up. "I'm readin', Arthur. Why are you dressed for cold weather?"_

_"I uh, just got back from up north."_

_"Oh yeah. How did that go?"_

_"Fine. Did uh," Arthur got closer to the tree. "Did you miss me?"_

_"Nope." Lilly smirked before licking her fingertip and turning the page._

_Arthur laughed. "Liar."_

_"Hmph!" Lilly looked down at him. "Well, what would you say if I did miss you?"_

_Arthur chuckled and took off his hat and coat. He climbed up into the tree and sat on a branch next to her. "I'd tell you I missed you."_

_"Uh huh. And uh, what would you do?" she said with a suggestive eyebrow raised._

_Arthur leaned closer. "I'd screw you."_

_Lilly laughed. "Well then." She dropped her book and climbed over to Arthur's branch to sit on his lap. Lilly faced him and messed with his leather vest. He smiled up at her and held her by the waist. "I really, really missed you," she said with a seductive tone. "So now you have to screw me."_

_Arthur pulled her down and licked her earlobe. "You couldn't handle it, O'Callaghan."_

_"Yes I could. Try me. I dare you to try me, Morgan. You know why?" she whispered into his ear._

_"Why?"_

_"Because," Lilly giggled._ _"Maybe I would like to actually fuck you one day."_

_Arthur's breath stopped. Oh my fucking God. "Lillian, you talk so bad," he cackled._

_Lilly grinned and jumped down. "Let's see if I can break you today."_

_Arthur flashed his teeth and climbed down. He noticed her book and tilted his head. "What's that?"_

_Lilly suddenly panicked and grabbed the book. "Nothin'." She held it behind her back._

_Arthur smirked and pushed up against her. "Oh, is that so?" He brushed his lips on one of her cheeks and fondled the other with his palm. "Is it embarassing?"_

_"No, just private."_

_He stuck a finger in her waistband and shoved it down slowly. Lilly gasped and Arthur swore he touched some of her pubic hair. He felt a hardness in his pants and he groaned. Maybe if he dared to go further... "Say the word and I'll touch you."_

_"You..." Lilly shuddered. "You are touchin' me."_

_"Further, Lillian." His finger went down just a tad more. "Do you want me to go further?"_

_Lilly grabbed the sides of his head and put her lips close to his. "You are makin' a dangerous play, Arthur."_

_A chortle escaped Arthur. "Oh, I know." He knelt down slowly and tugged on the front of her shorts. He took a little peek in before grabbing the book she dropped. The smell of her was intoxicating and it made his cock want to burst out of his pants. "You smell good."_

_Lilly laughed. "Down there? Really?"_

_Arthur shot up and backed away with her book in his hand. "Oh yes!"_

_Lilly squealed and jumped on his back. He laughed and started reading. "I am stretched on your grave, and I'll lie here forever...what is this?"_

_"Stop, Arthur!" she giggled._

_"_ _Nope! If your hands were in mine, I'd be sure we'd not sever. My apple tree, my brightness...Lilly, are these love poems?"_

_Lilly snatched the book from him. "Irish love poems, Arthur. Don't hold it against me!"_

_Arthur smiled at her. So there was a mushy little woman in there after all. "I won't, I just didn't know you liked that sort of thing."_

_Lilly fiddled with the book cover. "I don't, not really. But...my mother, she had this book in Ireland and I saw it in a store a while back, so..."_

_Arthur sighed. "Ah. I'm sorry, Lilly. But it was a pretty poem. What's it about?"_

_Lilly gave him a soft smile. "A man who lost his love, so he sleeps on her grave to mourn her. And he just...stays there because he's too heart broken to leave her."_

* * *

Arthur opened up the page Lilly left a bookmark in. He read the poem out loud. "I am stretched on your grave and would lie here forever. If your hands were in mine, I'd be sure we'd not sever. My apple tree, my brightness, 'tis time we were together...for...I..." A teardrop hit the page and Arthur wiped his face. Was he crying? He hadn't cried in years. Never needed to. "I smell of the earth and am stained by the weather. When my family-"

A loud thunderclap boomed so loud it startled Arthur out of his misery. He took a deep breath and continued reading. "When my family think that I'm safe in my bed, from night until morning, I am stretched at your head. Calling out to the air with tears hot and wild, my grief for the girl that I loved as a..." Arthur sat on the bed and began to weep. "Loved as a child..."

God, that poem really hit home. what a coincidence that he would find a poem describing everything that he was going through. Arthur loved Lilly as a child. She smelled like apples. She was his brightness. A lot of it fit. And it broke him. He burst into a crying fit like a baby. Another thunder strike hit and Arthur shouted at it. "Shut up!" he sobbed.

He could hear the rain pitter pattering on the tent. Arthur wanted to go visit her grave. Probably because of the poem but also because of the wolf in his dream. It was night, it was raining, and he only wanted to sleep near her one more night. He got himself dressed in gray pants, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, suspenders, and boots. He ran out of the tent to his thoroughbred he decided on naming Rose. Arthur saddled her up and ran out into the rain on her. Lilly was buried a bit west by the river. She loved that river. He galloped hard to where her resting place was. The lightning flashed and the thunder boomed and when he got to Lilly's oak tree, Arthur wiped his eyes from the rain pouring down and he saw Lilly's grave. It was empty.

"...What in the hell?" He dropped to the grave and dug around. "No!" Had she been eaten? Dragged off? There was no blood, but there was that black stuff. No marks of any kind, but...yes, there was. Three sets of paw prints. Two wolves and...a much bigger wolf. "Where is she?!" More lightning and thunder clashed in the sky. The rain fell harder and Arthur stood up. Where the fuck was her body? "FUCK!" he shouted.

"Mr. Morgan," a woman said behind him.

Arthur turned around. He saw James, Brian, and a red headed woman with blue eyes and a red silk dress. No shoes. Arthur eyed her suspiciously. "Who the hell are you?"

Lightning flashed and thunder clashed again. "I am The Morrigan. We've met before."

Arthur took a step forward. "Are you the red child?"

"Yes. Among other things."

"Did you dig up my wife?"

"Yes...and no."

"Where is she?"

"She went home."

* * *

Dutch took another shot of whiskey with Hosea, Molly, Sean, and Karen. They were still grieving.

"I don't think we should sell Liath," Hosea said. "He is...was Lilly's horse."

"I know, Hosea," Dutch said. "But I can't...it's too hard."

Hosea pat Dutch on the back. Lightning and thunder clashed but the rain started letting up. "Ah, good. Storm is passin', I think."

Karen took another drink. "I really wanted to be there for their wedding day."

"Me too," Sean said. "But...I...fellas, ladies, I got somethin' to say about Lilly. She...agh," he took a drink. "I know she hated singin' and she never did it, but I heard her. Once."

"Ha! When?" Molly asked.

"As The Emerald Star was sinkin'. She never said this but Lilly-"

"Yeah, we know," Hosea said. "She showed us a letter the day she-" Hosea lowered his head. "She was on that ship too."

"And I know she knew you, Sean. Lilly's good at a lot of things but she's so bad at lyin'," Dutch laughed. "Or...was."

The storm passed and soon the air was thick from the wet aftermath. Sean sighed. "Yeah, she sang to her baby brother and man...it was beautiful. Voice of an angel, that one." Sean poured them all shots and lifted his glass. "To Lilly. The best damn deirfiúr, daughter, best friend, hunter, warrior, and...wife anyone could ask for."

They all clinked and took their shots. "We should go get Arthur," Hosea said. "I know he got real mad at Susan yesterday but...he needs to be around family right now."

Dutch nodded. "I agree. I'll go get him." Dutch got up and waltzed over to Arthur and Lilly's...well, just Arthur's tent now. He wiped his eyes. He lost his daughter and he wasn't sure he'd ever get over it. When he got to the tent, he announced himself. "It's Dutch. You in there, Arthur?"

Dutch paused before swinging the flaps open. He dropped his shot glass when he saw the state of the tent. Things were flung everywhere. Clothes and empty bourbon bottles were all over. And Arthur was in the corner but Dutch could only see a silhouette.

"Arthur, you want to come have a drink with us?"

The shadow in the corner shook its head. "D...D...Du-"

"Dutch!" Arthur shouted behind Dutch a ways. He opened the flaps and walked out. "Uh, Arthur? Where did you go? And..."

Arthur grabbed Dutch's arms. "Lilly's grave is empty."

"Um. What?"

"Her grave is god damn empty! And there was this woman who said she dug Lilly up and-"

"D...D...DUUUUUUTCH!" a mighty voice shouted from inside the tent.

Arthur, Dutch, and the rest of the grieving party stood outside the tent. "Arthur, there's someone in your tent. I thought it was you but-"

The flaps opened and a soaked, mud covered Lilly O'Callaghan in her blue and white suit came staggering from the tent. "D...D...DUTCH!"


	17. Back Home

"D...D...DUTCH!" Her voice echoed loudly. The girl fell to her hands and knees. She was breathing heavily. "...Duuuuutch..." she struggled with the name.

Why could she not recall anything? She knew the name Dutch, but she could not remember how or why. What was her own name? She could not remember that either. She could only remember digging herself out of wet mud. She died, but now she was alive. How? How was this possible? She lifted her eyes and saw people. Strangers the girl did not know. The girl panicked and scooted backwards into the tent.

"Lillian! Are you okay?!" a man yelled.

Who was Lillian? She got up and tried to find something to defend herself with. Ah, an empty bottle of alcohol. The mud covered woman picked it up and broke it. This whole place was a mess. Who lived here? Three men ran into the tent looking flabbergasted. One of them had a lantern.

"Lilly, be calm," the white haired man said. "We just want to talk, okay?"

"Are you hurt? Are you okay?" asked the dark haired one. Both those gentlemen were in suits without jackets. When the second man tried to approach the girl with amnesia, she slashed at them all angrily.

"Stay back, ya hear me?! STAY BACK!" her voice clapped like thunder. Two of the men did as they were told but not the third. The third was the youngest in a white shirt, gray pants, black boots, and he was soaked through. He had a beard and dirty blonde hair with strands of little curly J's, and light blue eyes. He was incredibly handsome, she found, and was drawn to him immediately. He took a step forward but Lilly slashed at him again. "BACK OFF!" she shouted.

"Lillian, we aren't goin' to hurt you. I promise. Now, give me the bottle, darlin', and let's just talk for a minute," the man explained.

"Who is Lillian?!"

"You. Don't you recognize any of us?"

"No! Now BACK UP!"

"Your shout doesn't work on me."

"What? What shout?!"

The man stared at her with an incredibly intense gaze. It almost made her lose all resolve, but he took a step closer and her will hardened once again. The girl went to hit him but the man caught her wrist. He put his free arm around her. "Lilly, look at me."

"Let go of me!"

"Lillian!" he shouted. "Look. At. Me." Lilly looked at him with a furious stare but he seemed unmoved by it. "What do you remember?"

"I only remember climbing out of the ground!"

"That's it?"

"Yes!"

"Then why are you here in our tent? How did you get back here to camp?"

The woman scrunched up her face. "Our tent?"

"Yes. Our tent." He looked at the other men. "I think she needs her chamomile tea."

"On it!" The white haired man said as he left but the dark haired one stayed.

"Don't you know us, sweetheart?" the dark one asked. "I'm Dutch. You said that."

"Dutch. Yes, I said Dutch. That dunna mean a bloody thing!" The muddy woman snapped. "I said it so ya must be pullin' me leg!"

"What about Arthur? Or Hosea? Or Da and Athair? Or...what's that word she calls you?"

The woman shook her head and with all her strength, she shoved the man and he went flying into Dutch and out of the tent. "STAY OUT!"

"You alright, Arthur? Shit, how did she do that?" Dutch asked as the wind was knocked out of him.

"I'm fine. I don't know, but when I went to her grave there was a-"

"Whose grave? Mine?! Was I really dead?!"

"Yes! Darlin', come on out and let's talk!"

The alleged Lilly kept her bottle with her. "We can talk from here, ya fuck!" She heard Arthur laughing with glee. What was wrong with him?

"What is going on?" a woman asked. "Is Lilly in there?!"

"Yes," Dutch said.

"But she died!" the woman exclaimed in shock. "It's impossible!"

"No shit, Miss Grimshaw! Unfortunately, she doesn't know who we are! And she practically threw Arthur halfway across the room and into me!"

"ENOUGH!" the Irish lass shouted so loud the ground shook.

"Whoooooweeeee, heh heh," Arthur said with a loud breath. "She's a lot stronger too. Did you feel that?" Arthur laughed again.

"How can you laugh at a time like this? She was dead! And it seems to me she's even scarier than before!" Miss Grimshaw asked.

"Because my wife is alive! You expect me to be unhappy?! And she don't scare me! Never has!"

"...Your wife? I'm your wife?!" the girl asked with disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, mo stóirín, you are mostly certainly my wife. My Irish, red-headed, pathologically ill-tempered wife!" he laughed almost into a fit.

"Prove it!"

Arthur cackled. "I'm...okay, hmm. Ahem. The ring on your hand. Two sapphires for your eyes and one emerald for Ireland!"

The woman looked at her ring finger. The man was correct. But still. "You obviously saw it!"

"Hey, what's goin' on?!" a man with a scratchy voice yelled.

"It's Lilly. She's...alive, and in there. And she is mad. Soooo mad," her alleged husband Arthur began cackling again.

"But she died! That's impossible!"

"We know, John, we know! Dutch, can you take care of crowd control, please?" she heard Arthur giggle.

"Is Aunt Lilly in there?" a boy asked. "I thought you said she had to go away?"

"Aunt Lilly?!" The girl yelled.

"Yeah, I'm your nephew Jack!"

Lilly gasped. Jack. That name was significant. "...That was my...father's name..." she whispered to herself.

_A smoke stack falling on a ship. A man and a small girl being crushed to death as it lands._

"Abigail, will you please get Jack back to bed?" Dutch asked. "He shouldn't be here for this."

_A woman falling to her death. A small child screaming with a baby in her arms._

"Oh my God." Lilly held her mouth shut and tried not to sob.

"I want to see my Aunt Lilly!" Jack cried. "I miss her!"

"I know you do, Jack, but she's a bit upset right now." Dutch ensured.

"I got her tea!"

Lilly grasped her head as tears rolled down her cheeks.

_A boy of sixteen being beaten by two men. The boy gets shot in the head and the red headed child screams. "Brian!" One of the men steals a pocketwatch from the boy's corpse._

The pocketwatch. Her father's pocketwatch. Lilly suddenly remembered being flogged. And poisoned.

* * *

_Lilly woke up in a dimly lit room with her wrists and ankles bound with rope. Something was holding her up in the air. The girl looked up and saw a hooked chain. Oh no. Ow. The pain in her head throbbed and she looked down. As she struggled and tried to pull her legs up, they were quickly pulled down by a set of rather large hands._

_"Well, well...look who's awake," A British man spoke in the dark. Lilly looked up. A man walked up to her. "Hello, Lillian O'Callaghan" the man said. She recognized him._

_"Mr. Pierce? Why are you doin' this? I don't understand. Did...did Sir Patrick put you up to this?!"_

_Mr. Pierce laughed. "No, that fool would never allow any harm to you. Lovesick man as he is. Strange how you manage to inspire love wherever you go. With him, with your fiancé, your Da and Athair...even with Papa."_

_As her blue eyes narrowed, Lilly tried to kick the man but he backed up with a laugh. "Do not speak tah me about that man!"_

_Mr. Pierce sighed. "Anyway, let us get on. If you would start the flogging, Brutus."_

_"...What?!"_

_"Yes, I'm afraid you need a to be tortured. We need to bring her out."_

_"Who? Bring out who?!"_

_A rather large man in a mask and a leather apron came into view with a weapon. A cat o' nine tails whip dripping with goop. Oh fucking hell. Brutus went behind her and Lilly started struggling with her bonds. There was no chance in hell she was going to go free. Not yet, at least. She trembled and shut her eyes, trying to prepare herself for the first lash. As her breath quickened and her body tensed, Lilly heard and felt the barbs slice into her shirt and skin and she screamed. Lilly cried as each lashing hit her. Why was this happening? Why was she being tortured? Lilly tried to focus her thoughts on Arthur, her fiancé. Lilly knew he'd have no idea where she was. No one knew. Wait, where were Brian and James? Her wolves. Where were her wolves?_

_The thoughts ceased as her back was continually torn by the barbs of the whip. Lilly couldn't help but count each lash because that was the only coherent thought she could make that was short. The pain was excrutiating. Why wasn't she passing out? The pain was that bad that anyone would pass out...but not her, she figured. Lilly was not to faint at anything. However, by lash ninety seven, Lilly finally lost consciousness._

* * *

Lilly began to panic. Mr. Pierce. It was a name she barely knew. Who was Patrick? Another name she barely knew. Lilly looked around the room. It was so messy. Did she really live here? As she saw the bloodstains on the bed, the memories of her flogging came back to her.

* * *

_"Hmm," Mr. Pierce said as Lilly woke back up. "You are a strong woman, aren't you?" Mr. Pierce grabbed Lilly's satchel from the floor and pulled out her father's watch. "Well I'll be. You still have it. Your father would be proud."_

_Lilly shivered as she glared at the man. "_ _When I escape, yer goin' tah be the first one I kill. And it will be a slow, slooooow and painful death. I promise ya that."_ _Lilly turned her head despite how much it hurt to do the motion. "And then I'll kill ya next. Yer death will also be slow and painful."_

_"I'm afraid that won't be possible. We poisoned you." The man put the pocketwatch inside his jacket._

_"Ya did what?!"_

_"With the whip. It had poison on it. We are done here but we can't very well let you live. Sir Patrick would be furious if he found out I had anything to do with this."_

_Lilly heard howling and she smiled. "I suppose you didn't account for those two."_

_"Dammit! Brutus, I thought you said you got them!"_

_"I did! There wasn't no way they could survive a shot like that!" Brutus shouted in a Cockney accent._

_"...You! Girl! Did she follow you here from Ireland?!"_

_"Who?" Lilly shouted with a questioning tone._

_"Dammit! We need to get on the train and go back home before we miss that ship, Brutus! Come along." Both the men ran from the room._

_Lilly looked down. So much blood was on the floor. She had to escape. Lilly shut her eyes tightly and held her breath as she swung her legs back and forth, and the girl supressed a scream by groaning loudly as she lifted her legs high and caught the chain between her legs. As she did, Lilly removed the rope from the hook. Her legs flew back down and she landed on her feet._

* * *

Lilly went to the broken mirror and removed her vest. She tossed it to the bed and unbuttoned her shirt. When she turned around and lowered her shirt to catch a glimpse of her back, she covered her mouth once more. She had scars. Horrible scars. Deep, criss crossed scars in every damn direction. How many times did that bastard flog her? Lilly removed the whole shirt and sat on the table. The scars were just everywhere. But how long was she dead for? They were healed up. Had she been dead for a month? Two months? Lilly turned around and examined herself. She certainly didn't look like she'd been dead for two months, that was for sure.

"Lilly, are you okay in there?" Arthur poked his head in and Lilly around. "Oh, um...ahem..."

Lilly glanced down. "Oh." She put her palms over her breasts. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I got your tea."

Lilly tilted her head to one side. "What tea?"

Arthur walked in with a tin mug with steam rising from it. "Your chamomile. You always have chamomile after a night terror, so I thought this might help calm you down."

"Oh. Um," Lilly turned around to grab her shirt when she saw Arthur's face in the mirror. He looked as if his heart had been torn out. "What's the matter?"

Arthur crossed the area between them, set the cup down, and stared at her back. His eyes looked so sad. "Jesus Christ, Lilly..." he frowned. "Your back."

"Oh. That," she replied casually. "How...long was I dead?"

"Five days."

Lilly's mouth parted and her eyebrows went up. She faced him angrily. "Five days?! How did they heal in five days?"

Arthur looked like he was trying not to stare down at her bosom. "Uh...I have a theory. See, you kinda died once before as a kid. Nasty gash on your head from an accident. But then you were fine and when I checked, the gash was gone. I thought my mind was playin' tricks on me that day, but-"

"How long have we known each other? I'm young and you're...well..." she smirked a little.

"Hey!" Arthur looked offended. "I'm not that old."

Lilly raised a brow. "Never dreamed of it. Just sayin' I look really young and you...don't look _as_ young as me."

"Hmph. Memory loss or not, you're still a little shit."

Her eyes narrowed and her mouth went wide as she made a sound of disgust. "Do you always speak to your wife that way?"

"Yes," Arthur said with a teasing pout. "You call me lots of names too."

"Like what?"

"Asshole, bastard, fuck, swine, gobshite, piece of shit, shall I go on?"

Lilly blinked a few times. Did she really treat him that way. "How the hell are we married if I treat you so horribly?"

"Because the sex is wonderful," he growled lightly and suggestively with a tilted jerk of his head.

Lilly blushed hot red. "Oh." That was a very unexpected response. One that made her feel hot in other places. "I see." Yes, this was her husband but she didn't know Arthur, and he knew she didn't know him. Lilly glared into his eyes. "You're a cad!"

"You like that, though." Arthur pushed himself into her and Lilly hit the vanity table. "You love it, in fact."

Lilly scoffed at him, but she was liking the banter. "Ya feckin' reprobate."

"Ha! I sure am! You use that as a pet name. You call me-"

"Bithiúnach," they said at the same time.

Arthur smiled. "See? You remember."

"It's the word for 'reprobate'. It makes sense I would call you that."

"Yes but there are at least two other words in Gaeilge that mean it. Rógaire and alfraits."

Lilly eyeballed him. "You speak Gaeilge? You're not Irish and you speak the words well!"

"Rinne mé staidéar ar feadh ceithre bliana," Arthur spoke with four fingers up. "Díreach chun cleas tusa, mo stóirín." _[I studied for four years. Just to trick you, my little darling.]_

Lilly gaped at him. "What the hell kind of relationship do we have?!"

"A good one." Arthur looked down at her chest. "One where I get to suck on those a lot."

With a gasp and an expression of alarm, Lilly slapped his face. He almost fell over. "DO NOT SPEAK TAH ME THAT WAY AGAIN!" her voice boomed.

He started laughing as he looked at her and rubbed his cheek. "Ouch! That hurt, Mrs. Morgan!"

What in the ever loving hell was wrong with this man? "What are ya, a masochist?"

"What's that mean?"

"It means ya get off on bein' hurt like that!"

"Well, I dunno. If I say somethin' naughty again, are you gonna hurt me worse?" Arthur grinned as he stabilized his footing. "I might just love you more if you do, you little sex kitten."

Lilly shoved him and he fell backwards onto the bed. This was outrageous. Indecent. How could she ever love a man like Arthur Morgan? "Are we legally married? I recall ribbons. We were handfasted, weren't we?"

"No, not legally, but you told me a handfasting would do."

"Why?"

Arthur frowned at her. "We were gonna get married the right way, but you were on your deathbed when we handfasted. It was your final request before..." Arthur stopped. He sat up and stared at her with the saddest of expressions. "Before you died, Lilly. I saw the life go out in your eyes and..." Arthur lowered his head. "It broke me."

This was another unexpected thing. Lilly sighed, walked over to him, and lifted his head. "Alright. A handfasting lasts one year and one day. Considerin' I died five days ago, we have three hundred sixty one days left of our marriage. I abbor the idea of it, but..." Lilly groaned. "Ya may sleep in the marital bed. Eventually, but no sexual relations unless I allow it. And-" Lilly paused. There was a gold watch hanging from her vest. "What is that?"

Arthur yanked it, pocketed it, and got up. "Nothin' you need to know about, apparently, since it wouldn't matter to you anyway!" he snapped.

"I was buried with it!"

"My _wife_ was buried with it. My _wife_ would never kick me out of the marriage bed and mean it! My _wife_ would never hit me for makin' sexual advances! My _wife_ loved that. We spent four years flirtin' before she gave me her maidenhead! I loved my wife! I still do!" Arthur got in her face and pointed at it. "I know she is in there somewhere but she is bein' too god damn stubborn to come out! And when she comes out, I will be there to have her back! But until then, you are just a god damn stranger!"

Lilly frowned. For some reason, that pained her in the heart and Lilly knew it showed. Suddenly she burst into tears. "It's not me fault I don't remember ya! I died and came back tah life, ya eejit!" she sobbed. "The least ya could do is show some feckin' compassion and sympathy, ya god damn barbaric arse!"

Arthur sighed. He pulled out the watch, opened it, and showed her the inscription inside. "Read!" He shoved it in her hands.

Lilly read it out loud. "Mo Chuisle, Mo Fear Álainn, Mo...Bithiúnach. Love, L.R.O'C." Lilly blinked and more tears fell.. "Those are my initials?"

"Yes. Feel free to inspect the rest, banchéile bréagach." _[false wife.]_

Lilly gaped at him. False wife. How could he be so cruel? "You're a horrible man, Arthur. False wife? Fine." Lilly tossed the watch at him, took off the ring and slammed it into his hand. "Consider our marriage annulled! Now get out!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes at her. "My _wife_ wouldn't cry in front of me, either! I'll be back for my things in the mornin'!" He turned and stormed out of the tent.

Lilly grabbed her shirt, buttoned it up, and stormed out after him. "Ya need to clean up yer mess in here, fear céile bréagach! _[false husband!]_ A false wife is under no obligation tah clean up a false husband's shite, ya fuckin' pig!"

Arthur stopped and turned around to glare at her. "And what are you gonna do about it?! Cry some more!?"

"Arthur Morgan!" Miss Grimshaw shouted. "Shame on you! She is your wife!"

"This _bitch_ ain't my wife!"

"Arthur!" Dutch snapped. "Don't talk to my daughter like that!"

"She just called me a pig! How is that okay?!"

"Oh, I apologize. I didn't realize we was dealin' with two teenagers havin' a love spat!" Dutch shouted.

"I'm yer daughter?" Lilly looked at Dutch. "You aren't even Irish!"

Hosea stood besides Dutch. "We're your fathers. Adopted fathers."

"Oh. Wait, both of ya? Are ya two, um..." Lilly raised a brow as she spoke. "Are ya both Uranian?" Hosea and Dutch made confused faces. Lilly sighed. "I'm tryin' not to be offensive here, gentlemen. Are ya...both uh...in a relationship with each other?"

"No!" both the men snapped. "Lillian!"

"I'm sorry! I was only askin'!"

"Good God, way to smooth things over with them, Lillian!" Arthur snapped. "Real suave!"

"Oh shut up, ya swine!" Lilly snapped back at Arthur.

"Fuck you, Lillian!"

"Fuck you too, ya bastard!"

"Cock sucker!"

"Arsehole!"

"God damn prig!"

"Unworthy, dickless coward!"

Arthur shoved her. "I am not a coward! You are!"

Lilly shoved him harder and made him fall over. "Yes ya are! And ya know what? I am goin' back home!" Lilly turned and stomped towards the tent.

"What?!" Arthur shouted.

"Tah Ireland! I need tah get my father's watch back! That bloody Mr. Pierce took it!"

"Woa woa, what? Mr. Pierce did this?!" When Lilly didn't stop, Arthur shouted again and chased after her. "Now you wait just a god damn minute, Lillian Rose O'Callaghan!" Lilly paused and he bumped into her. "Good! Now you-"

"Ow!" Lilly grabbed her head.

_Laughter. A child playing in an oak tree with the red child. "You look like a rose, Morgan!" young Lilly says._

_"That's your middle name!" the red child giggles._

_"Yes! That's where I got the idea from!" They both giggle_ _._

_A family in a big manor eating at the mahogany dinner table. "Father, tell us about the godslaying story again!" young Lilly shouts with glee._

_"Not at the dinner table, ya silly chiseler," her mother says._

Lilly fell to her knees. "Ow ow ow! God that hurts!" When Lilly was certain she didn't have any more memories flooding in, she stood up. "Wait a minute," she turned and gaped at Arthur. "I'm a feckin' Countess?!"

Arthur sighed. "Yes. In fact, you and I were goin' to Ireland so we could sell your estate for the money!"

Lilly scoffed. "Sell me birthright? Oh, clearly I knocked a few screws loose in yer noggin if ya think I'm givin' that up!"

"You agreed to it!"

"Well I don't now, ya smelly commoner!" Lilly turned and began to walk but Arthur grabbed her arm and tried to swing her back around. However, her feet stood planted stronger than the oak tree on the hill by her home. Lilly growled, got her arm free, and sent him flying with a knock to his chest. "Touch me again, Mr. Morgan, and I'll rip out yer heart and eat it fer breakfast!"

Arthur sat up slowly and groaned. "Oh yeah, because that's how a real lady talks," he spat sarcastically.

"You will address me as My Lady or Countess O'Callaghan, sir!"

"You're my wife! I'll address you how I want, ya evil little shit!" Arthur got back up.

"Oh really? What was that you said before?!" Lilly yelled. "This _bitch_ ain't my wife!" Lilly said...in Arthur's voice. Both of their jaws dropped. Lilly suddenly grinned evily with her eyes narrowed at Arthur. "I'm Arthur Morgan and I got beat up by a girl!" Lilly said in his voice again.

Arthur and the rest of the gang stared at her. "...How are you doin' that?!"

Lilly laughed in Arthur's voice. "I don't know! But I'm gonna keep doin' it just to piss you off!"

"Stop it, Lillian!"

"Stop it, Lillian!" Lilly repeated.

"Lilly, that's just childish," Miss Grimshaw said.

Lilly stared at Susan like she was Lilly's new victim.. "...Lilly, that's just childish," she said in Susan's voice. "Oh my God!" Lilly laughed in her regular voice.

Little Jack came bounding up. "Me next, Aunt Lilly!"

Lilly laughed at him, knelt down to his level, and smiled. "I'm glad you like this, kid," she said in Jack's voice. Lilly cackled herself into a fit. "Wait, wait, let me just..." Lilly put a hand on Jack's shoulder and spoke in his voice. "Maybe you can sound like me. Try it."

Jack cleared his little throat. "How is this?" he said in Lilly's Irish accented voice. "Oh my! It worked!" Jack and Lilly both fell over laughing.

Arthur snatched Lilly up. "You knock that off!" Arthur backed away. He just talked in Lilly's voice. "What in the hell?"

Lilly smiled at Arthur, pushed him down, and straddled his midsection. "Speak, commoner!" she shouted in Arthur's voice. Arthur kept his mouth closed and stared up at her defiantly. He tried to get up but Lilly pinned Arthur's arms above his head. "Talk, Mr. Morgan, or I shall make you talk. I am a noble and I demand that you speak." When he refused, Lilly sighed. "SPEAK!" she shouted loudly in her own voice.

"Aunt Lilly, please don't shout like that!"

"I'm sorry, mo nia. That means 'my nephew', by the way."

Jack skipped up to her. "I know. You were teachin' me some words in Irish."

"Was I? Which ones?"

"Madra. Capall. Mac Tíre. Duine. Fear. Bean."

"Excellent, my young pupil!"

"Excuse me!" Arthur snapped in Lilly's voice.

Lilly turned her attention back on her false husband. "Oh, so the man does speak my tongue." Lilly giggled. Arthur kept his mouth shut. Lilly smirked. "Labhair, mo chreach." _[Speak, my prey.]_

Arthur stared up at her in awe. "What did you just call me?"

"My prey." Lilly cocked her head to one side. "You don't know that word?"

"...I do. It's just...somethin' you used to call me."

* * *

_34-year-old Arthur watched as Lilly was swimming naked in a lake somewhere near Blackwater. It was late evening in the summer. It was strange being back there after twelve years. But it was familiar, at least. As she dove under and swam around under the surface, Arthur quickly undressed and swam to her. When she came back up, his arms enfolded around her._

_"Hello, you little minx," Arthur whispered in her ear. "You're skinny dippin' without me?"_

_Lilly chuckled and pressed herself against his naked body. "Didn't you see my note?"_

_"I did."_

_"I got impatient waitin' for you, mo chreach. Even predators can get bored."_

_"Mmm. What's that mean?"_

_"My prey. Mo chreach amháin. My only prey. You are the only worthy one, you know that."_

_Arthur prodded her neck with his nose. "Good. Because if you ever find another, I will kill him. You are my predator. No one elses."_

_He heard Lilly gasp as he tickled her tummy. "Arthur, you are so jealous."_

_"I am. But you like it."_

_"I do," she giggled._ _"I love how possessive you are. Makes me...hmm," Lilly turned around and put her arms around his shoulders. "Makes me want you more," she said with a wink._

* * *

Lilly blinked at him a few times. "I remember that. I..." Lilly sat up as she let go of his arms. "What kind of relationship is that to have?"

"The one my wife and I had," Arthur spoke in his own voice. "Before she became my woman."

Lilly cocked her head to one side and smiled gently at him. "Really?"

Arthur nodded with a smirk. "Uh huh."

"Well," Lilly chuckled and leaned down to his face. "It's a shame I'm not your wife." Lilly got up and walked to her tent. "I will clean up your mess, false husband, and I will have your things out by morning."

"Wait a minute, Lilly!" Sean said. "I need you to do somethin' real quick!"

Lilly stopped and looked around. She spotted a red haired man in a green bowler cap. "And you are?"

"Sean MacGuire. Your deartháir."

Lilly crossed her arms. "Funny, I don't remember...oooohhh. Yes I do. Hello Sean!" Lilly went and hugged him.

"Why do you remember him and not me?!" Arthur demanded to know.

"Probably because I've...known him..." Lilly gaped at Sean. "...My family. The ship. Oh God, Sean!" Lilly covered her mouth and nose with both hands. She started crying. "I watched them die!"

Sean hugged Lilly and patted her back. "I know, I know."

Arthur walked to both of them. "Wait, how do you know about that, Sean?!"

"Because I was on The Emerald Star with my Da. We saw her mother fall too."

Lilly wanted to change the subject. "What was it you wanted, Sean?" Lilly asked as she wiped away her tears.

Sean smiled at her. "Sing."

Lilly gaped at him. "No. You know how I feel about that!"

"I just wanna see if it's...amplified. Ya got super human strength, yer shout is scarier, and now you can switch voices with people. I'm an interested party."

Lilly sighed. "I don't want to."

"But Lilly-"

"I SAID NO!" her voice boomed.

"Okay okay, geez, I'm sorry."

Lilly sighed and looked at Arthur. Fury and hurt was etched on his face. "What are ya gawkin' at, Mr. Morgan?"

"He gets to call you Lilly but I don't. He knows about your life but I don't. Why?"

"Maybe perhaps your Lilly didn't trust you with the knowledge. I certainly don't, not that I would know. I have a big menory gap, in case you haven't noticed," she said calmly. Arthur frowned. He looked even more hurt and it made her heart ache. But she would not cry and she would not show him weakness ever again. "Now, I am packing up and heading home. I have a watch to get back and a _different_ man to marry. Or did she not tell you about the arranged marriage?"

"...She did. Lilly told me some things."

"Hmph. Poor judgement on her part, if you ask me."

"Do not speak so poorly of my wife, you cretin!" Arthur snapped. "My wife was a good woman! A wonderful woman! Not some stuck up snobby Countess! Oh, by the way, she wanted to stay here! She even rescinded her title! For me!"

"As you said, Mr. Morgan, I am not her," Lilly said in a pained voice. Lilly backed away from the both of them. "Excuse me. This cretinous, stuck up, snobby Countess needs her rest." Lilly huffed away and back into the tent. And as she entered, Lilly ran to the bed and cried hot tears into her pillow. Oh, she hated that man! She hated him profusely! But after she was done crying, she began packing up his things and tossing them out of the tent. Then she began packing up her things for her trip.

"Lilly, sweetheart? It's Dutch. May Hosea and I come in?"

"Yes, you may enter," she said.

The men entered and Dutch sighed sadly. "I know you're upset, sweetheart, but you shouldn't take it out on Arthur. He's upset too."

Lilly began cleaning up the mess. "Why would he be upset? He's just a damn slob!"

"He's not a slob. He was grievin' your death. All he did was sleep and drink."

Lilly stopped and looked at them both. "For five days?"

"Yes."

Lilly frowned. "I didn't want to be so mean, but he was comin' onto me and I didn't like it, and then it escalated. He called me 'false wife' in Gaeilge. He is a horrible, cruel, perverted, stupid brute and I want nothin' to do with him!"

"Alright, well, thing is...we wouldn't feel right about you goin' to Ireland without him. He isn't just your husband, he's your guardian," Hosea said cautiously.

"My guardian? How did that happen?"

"You first met him when you were seven, and he saved your life that day. Twice. Then you came to live with us and he's protected you ever since."

"Not well enough, apparently. I have the scars to show how bad he is at his job."

"Lillian Rose!" Dutch shouted. "Shame on you!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Yes, I said it. You are bein' unfair! He has guarded you for fifteen years!"

"I'm twenty two?"

"Twenty one. Your birthday is coming up."

"Huh. How old is Arthur?"

"Thirty six."

"Hmm, I see. Well, my intended is thirty two. Guess it makes sense."

"You mean Sir Patrick? He didn't have anything to do with you dyin'?"

"No. Mr. Pierce said as much."

"Well, honey, um, Sir Patrick might not marry you."

"Why not?"

"...You had an accident when you were eighteen, and it made you go barren."

Lilly's jaw dropped and she plopped sadly to the bed. She looked down at her stomach and started to cry. "I can't bear children? What happened?!"

"You fell out of a tree. Big stick punctured you on the way down."

Hosea and Dutch sat on the bed next to her. They both put their arms around her and she hugged Dutch. "I wanted children. This is so unfair! How did I fall? What was I doin' in the first place?"

Hosea hugged them both. "Branch broke. But um...you were up there flirtin' with Arthur."

"What?!"

* * *

_Hosea saw a flash of light from above the trees and laughed. "Hmm, must be Lilly," he said to himself._

_"What's that?" Dutch asked as he looked for a pair of socks._

_"Lilly's in a tree usin' binoculars."_

_Dutch growled and grabbed his own to look. "I'm gonna go climb that tree myself when I...oh. Um..." Dutch lowered his binoculars and blushed. "She's...undressing!"_

_"What? Why?"_

_"I think she's showin' somebody!"_

_"Holy...who?" The both looked around and Hosea spotted Arthur using his binoculars. Hosea's mouth dropped and he wheezed out a laugh. "Oh my God, it's Arthur!"_

_"What?!" Dutch laughed and looked at Arthur. "I'll be god damned!"_

_They both looked at each other and marched happily towards Arthur._

_"...you saucy flirt," Arthur growled lightly but happily._

_Hosea and Dutch backed up and started laughing quietly. Dutch punched Hosea lightly in the shoulder. "You gotta be kiddin' me," Dutch laughed breathless_ _ly._

_This made Hosea happy. "No wonder he's been...you know, I bet this is why he's less grouchy. Do you think they're havin' a secret affair?" Hosea whispered._

_"Let's find out," Dutch whispered back. Dutch cleared his throat and ambled over to Arthur with Hosea close behind him._ _"What are you lookin' at, Arthur?"_

_Hosea saw Arthur tense up and he covered his mouth to hide his laughing. "Trees," Arthur said immediately before putting the binoculars down and pulling out his journal._

* * *

Lilly blushed. "I see. So...he wasn't kidding when he said I...Lilly liked that sort of thing." Lilly sighed and lowered her head. "I'm a Countess. That is so-"

"You weren't raised a Countess. You were raised an outlaw. That isn't your fault. But you can be both, you know."

Lilly looked at Hosea. "How can I possibly be both?"

* * *

Arthur didn't like this. He was now single, his real wife was gone and replaced by a different woman, and now he was back at his gun cart. Lilly's horse was gone and he wanted to say good riddance, but at the same time, Arthur felt like he made a huge mistake letting her go. He wanted the new Lilly, but he couldn't get over her...not being the old Lilly.

However, as soon as Arthur saw her riding up with Micah, he was overjoyed. She hadn't left, after all. Oh, and the wolves Brian and James were with her. They finally decided to come into camp. The boys saw Arthur and went racing towards him. He laughed, got on his knees, and played with them as they jumped around him. He scratched them vigorously and Lilly walked up to him.

"Mr. Morgan," Lilly said with a stiffness that irked him.

"My lady," he said back just as blankly. "Is there somethin' your Ladyship requires?"

Lilly rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Not from you, I guess," and she walked off.

Arthur dropped his head. "What is it?"

"I wish to go on this train robbery Mr. Marston mentioned. I was wondering if you would..." Lilly sighed and walked back to him. "Assist me in relearning how to use a gun."

"You can't ask anyone else?" he barked.

"Dutch said you're the best one to learn from."

Arthur sighed. "Fiiine." He got up. "Why are you wantin' to rob a train? I thought you was goin' back to Ireland?"

"I have no money. I must earn my ticket. And..." Lilly lowered her head. "I...was told I'm...unable to produce an heir for Sir Patrick." Lilly started fiddling with her fingers. "I only wish to go home and reclaim my title." Arthur frowned. He was unhappy she found out about that, but the fiddling made him smile unconsciously. Lilly saw him. "Does my plight amuse you, sir?"

"No. Just...you messin' with your fingers is somethin' my wife would do when she'd get self-conscious."

"...Oh." Lilly frowned and stopped. "Shall we start my lessons, Mr. Morgan?"

Arthur nodded and walked over to the horses with her. "So, which gun would you prefer?"

"All of them."

"How about your bow? Charles would be the better teacher for that."

"Miss O'Callaghan!" Mr. Pearson shouted.

"Yes sir?"

"That bear meat you brought this mornin'! How big was that beast?"

"Humongous!" Lilly chuckled. "Apparently much bigger than the bear I killed with my chiselers up north...or so I was told!"

"Excellent! Glad to have you back!"

"...Me too!" Lilly said with uncertainty. "...Not that she is, but..." Lilly whispered then stared at Arthur. "...Yes, I took down a bear. A scarred one up by O'Creagh's Run."

"Oh. We..." Arthur sighed. "Dammit."

"What?"

"Nothin'."

Lilly eyeballed him. "Let me guess. That was supposed to be your wife's kill?"

"Our kill. We was gonna do it together."

"...Sorry," she said genuinely. "Just tryin' to earn money to go home." Brian and James whimpered. "What?"

"They goin' home with you or they stayin' with me?" Arthur asked.

"Me. Why would they stay with you?"

"Well," Arthur scoffed. "They're my chiselers too!"

"You don't even know what a chiseler is!"

"Children! They're my children too!"

"Well they're the only children I'll have! You've got plenty of your own walking around, I'm sure!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "You go find a different instructor, m'lady." This was not something he wanted to do anymore and he turned to walk away when she fired her gun. "What the hell?" He jerked around and looked at her.

Lilly had a revolver aimed at a tree. A bullet was in the trunk...but she wasn't looking. When Arthur gave a look of disbelief, Lilly fired five more shots without looking. They all hit the tree and she began to reload. "Huh. Guess I don't need help after all."

"Then why ask me?!" Arthur snapped furiously.

"Dutch and Hosea are making me try to know you as part of the agreement."

"What agreement?"

Lilly smirked at him. "Oh, they didn't tell you? That is unfortunate."

"What didn't they tell me?"

"Well," Lilly holstered the gun and ambled over to Arthur. "I can't very well fund myself with this endeavor other than purchasing a ticket...sorry, four tickets, so I must use my dowry. But I cannot use it unless I am accompanied by a guardian on my journey. And that guardian is you."

Arthur squinted his eyes. "Dutch! Hosea!" He looked around for them. "Where are you fuckers at?!"

"Oh, they went fishing down at the river. You can find them there but I assure you, you are coming with me, Mr. Morgan. They will not change their minds and neither will I."

"Why me?"

"Because out of everyone besides Sean, Dutch, and Hosea, you are my best bet at recovering my memory. And...you are to accompany me as my husband. Sean and Karen and the wolves will be coming too. Liath, Ennis, and...what's your horse's name?"

"...Rose."

Lilly looked taken aback. Her blue eyes softened. "...I see. The depth of your devotion to your Lilly is...heartwarming."

Arthur closed the gap between them. He saw his wife, but only for a moment. He wanted to see her again. "Yes. I am extremely devoted and very much in love with my wife. And I miss her. Very, very much."

Lilly's eyes softened more. "I...uh..."

"Yes, m'lady?"

"...If you want her back so bad, why not come with? Perhaps I will change my mind and rescind my title once I recall...us."

Arthur smiled. "I'm bettin' you will."

Lilly cleared her throat. "Let us place that bet. If I win, you return home. If you win, I return here with you."

"Deal." Arthur and her shook hands and Lilly pulled her hand away from him as if she was hurt. "What's wrong?"

Lilly fluttered her eyes and looked away. "Had a memory."

"Of what?"

"...When we first met. You...really did save me."

"I did."

Lilly looked at him briefly. "I look forward to beating you in that bet. Now, the horses will accompany us on the trip. Quite frankly, I can't imagine leaving Liath here. I...I feel like he suits me. He's a war horse and...well, he doesn't make me look like I'm-"

"Freakishly tall?" Arthur laughed.

"Yes. Something your Lilly would say?"

"Yes."

Lilly smiled briefly. "Well, I should-"

"Wait, how did you get Micah out of jail?"

"...I charmed the sheriff to let him go."

Arthur laughed. "You used your shout, huh?"

Lilly fiddled with her fingers. "...No. I...I sang, Mr. Morgan."

"...How does that work?"

"It renders people...immobile. Makes their eyes look...empty. I abhor doing it, but my shout is very loud and I didn't want to attract unwanted attention."

"I see."

Lilly lowered her gaze. "I should go speak to Mr. Marston." Lilly walked away from Arthur followed.

"I better help with that. John has issues with how a noble talks."

"You mean big words?"

"Yes," Arthur smirked at her.

Lilly smiled warmly, which set Arthur's heart ablaze. It was his wife's smile. "Very well."

Lilly walked ahead but Arthur immediately stared at her bottom. It was the same lovely round ass of his wife. Maybe she was more like Lilly than he originally thought.


	18. A Clean Slate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is "An Irish Lullaby" by James Royce Shannon.

Lilly approached John with Arthur and the boys in tow. "Mr. Marston," Lilly said. "I heard you are goin' to rob a train."

"Yep. Uncle told me somethin' about a train."

"Go on."

"Mary-Beth overheard somethin' about a train full of wealthy folk rollin' down through Scarlett Meadows just south of the state border."

"Yes, Mary-Beth did mention it," Arthur said. "But I ain't even sure about doin' it."

"Wait, this is your lead?" Lilly asked. "I thought it was Mr. Marston's."

"You don't have to call me that, Lilly. John will do," John said.

"Okay...John. Lilly is fine."

John laughed. "Hey. How come John gets to call you that but I don't?" Arthur asked.

Lilly grinned at Arthur. "Because you are still on my shite list." That wasn't the only reason, though. He was on her shite list but Lilly found she liked riling Arthur up for some reason. Last night was heated but a part of her found his anger to thrill her. He made her heart race when he got angry, but not in a bad way, so Lilly assumed this was why she called Arthur 'mo chuisle' before her death.

"Your shit list?" he snapped.

"Oh, don't be offended. Take pride in it, Mr. Morgan. You're the only one on it."

John snorted then wheezed a laugh out. Arthur scowled. "You little shit."

"If you're going to insult me, at least address me properly to balance it out so I am not forced to hurt you. Repeatedly," Lilly said with a playful smirk. Oh, she was enjoying this. "And you know I can hurt you."

Arthur sighed. "You are a little shit, m'lady."

"Good boy." Lilly winked at him, but Arthur smiled affectionately instead of getting mad. That smile. Oh dear. Lilly looked back at John and cleared her throat. "So, you were saying, Mr. Morgan?" She couldn't look at him. Not with that smile on his face.

"Stoppin' a train is a pain in the ass," he said.

"Sure, but what if we could force a train to stop?" John asked.

Lilly smirked and put her hands behind her. "I am intrigued. Aren't you, Mr. Morgan?"

Arthur laughed. "Of course."

"We get a wagon, full of somethin' flammable. Oil. Put it on the tracks. They see it, they know they either have to stop, or die. Ain't no train driver wants to be cooked alive," John explained.

Lilly watched Arthur grin. "That is...kinda brilliant," her 'false husband' said. "Uh, for you. That is a real idea," Arthur laughed. "I think that's the first time you ever had one of them!"

Lilly looked at Arthur with disgust. "Why do you have to be such an asshole to everyone?"

Arthur glared at her. "Excuse me?"

"The fact that he came up with this plan and you didn't when it was your lead in the first place suggests he is more brilliant than you are. Yet you choose to insult him. Are you threatened by his intelligence?"

Arthur gaped at her, as did John. "Thank you, Lilly," John said.

"You're welcome," Lilly grinned and giggled at John. "However, we should have a contingency plan in case we can't aquire an oil wagon."

"Alright, what do you suggest, m'lady?" Arthur asked bitterly.

Lilly grinned, walked over to the tree John was originally at and sighed. "I could probably stop it."

"You?" both the men chuckled. "How?"

Lilly, with a mischevious smirk directed at them, shoved the tree. It creaked loudly and went tumbling down the cliff. "Ahem, any other questions?"

Arthur and John stared at each other then stared back at her with their jaws dropped. "What in the god damn hell?" Arthur said in a high pitched voice.

Lilly laughed. "Not sure I can stop a train, but I found out how much strength I can use this morning."

"How did you find that out?"

Lilly clasped her hands behind her and twisted her upper body to and fro. She smiled. "The bear I killed this morning. Didn't even need my knives or my bow."

Arthur grasped his gun belt. "You is somethin' else, m'lady."

Lilly smiled more. The fact that Arthur was not the least bit bothered by her newly found strength gave her encouragement that she was not some freak of nature. That is how she felt since returning from the grave. Amplified powers as well as new ones she had no previous knowledge of. "Mr. Morgan, did your wife have any other abilities?

"Yes, she had a very diverse and large skillset. Warrior, hunter, pickpocket, expert climber, stealthy little shit, master negotiator, knife wielder, outlaw, con artist, and a few other things. What a woman," he said with a tone of nostalgia.

"Huh." Her former self was quite the accomplished woman, it seemed. No wonder Arthur was so smitten by her. Or who she used to be. Lilly's head lowered as she gazed at the ground. Her arms relaxed and she let out a disgruntled sigh. Lilly could never compare to the other one. The thought made her sad. "I see." Lilly realized how she must have looked. Weak. "Please excuse me, gentlemen." Lilly walked off towards her tent. The boys followed.

* * *

Arthur watched her go. Did he hurt Lilly's feelings? He must have. He hadn't intended it. "Arthur, you're an idiot," Karen said behind him.

Arthur jerked around. "Why?"

"Women hate bein' compared to other women."

"Well," Arthur sighed. "That girl ain't my wife! Why should I care about what she-"

Karen smacked Arthur in the arm. "She _is_ your wife! She is in there! And you're treatin' her like some sort of imposter! Lilly died! We all mourned! And yes, you were the happiest one at first, but then you treated her like crap because she's a little different!"

"A little different?! Karen, she just knocked over a tree! I tried talkin' to her like my wife!"

"That was your first mistake! What kind of woman were you expectin' when you realized she didn't remember anythin'?"

"I didn't know what to expect, Karen! I just know her not knowin' her own god damn husband...was...ah, the hell with it!" Arthur snapped. "John, where am I takin' this god damn oil wagon?!"

"There's an old rundown shack just over the border north of a place called Dewberry Creek. Leave it hidden somewhere there."

"Alright. You headin' into town? We're gonna meed ammo, guns, dyna-...wait a second, we don't need dynamite! Ha! We'll just get Lilly to open the damn thing."

"Perhaps you should ask her first before you go assumin' things...again?!" Karen snapped.

"...Fiiine." Arthur grumbled as he marched over to Lilly's tent. "Woman! I got a question!"

"What the fuck do ya want, Mr. Morgan?!" Lilly snapped. "And it's My Lady or-"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "For chrissake. M'lady! Do you think you can pull a locked metal door open?!"

"Yes!" Lilly spat furiously. "Ya dunno need tah ask me! I heard plenty enough with ya and...and..."

"Karen," Arthur answered. "Her name is Karen."

"Thank ya! I heard plenty enough with ya and Karen shouting! But dunna worry about me trying tah take yer wife's place. I damn well know I am not yer precious little Lilly!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, _Countess_ _O'Callaghan_ _!_ "

"Uuugh! You horrible brute! I hate ya and I hope ya rot in the gutter, ya prick!"

"Snob!"

"Wanker!"

"Bluenosed bitch!"

"May ya choke on yer own breath and go straight down tah hell!"

"May the Devil make a ladder out of your spine and use it to pick apples in the fuckin' pits of hell!" Arthur screamed as he went red in the face.

"That's it!" Lilly opened the flaps and Arthur's jaw dropped as she came marching out with her gun pointed at him and tears streaming down her face. "Say somethin' else, Mr. Morgan, and I will splatter yer brains all over the god damn ground!" she screeched.

Dutch came running in between them and faced Lilly. "Lilly, sweetheart, put the gun down."

"She ain't gonna shoot me, Dutch! She's too much of a coward!"

Lilly knocked Dutch out of the way and shot at Arthur's feet. "Insult me again, Arthur! This is yer final warning!"

Arthur stood where he was. "Oh really? You're gonna shoot me? Your husband?"

"Ya made it very clear that we are not husband and wife!"

Arthur took a step forward and Lilly pulled back the hammer. "You think I'm scared of you?!"

"Enough!" Hosea got between them. "Both of you stop it right now!" Hosea grabbed the gun from Lilly and tossed it. "You both need to keep away from each other or fight somewhere else because you're upsetting the whole camp!"

Arthur looked around and saw everyone was staring. He lowered his head in shame, as did Lilly.

"...Sorry, Athair..."

"Damn right you're-what did you say?" Hosea asked Lilly.

"...Athair." Lilly looked over at Dutch and frowned. "And Da. I'm sorry I...I..." Lilly ran back into the tent sobbing.

Hosea chuckled. "What do you know, Dutch. I think she remembers us now."

Dutch got up and brushed himself off. "No kidding."

Arthur was furious. Lilly could remember her previous family, Sean, and now her adoptive fathers, but only snippets of her own husband? "This is unbelievable horseshit!" Arthur snapped.

"Oh shut up, Arthur!" Hosea yelled. "Go cool off! You've done enough to upset my daughter! I'll tell you one thing, I never treated Bessie like this! Not once!"

"That's different! Lilly died!"

"If Bessie came back to life, I wouldn't care if she remembered me or not! I would still be there for her! Lilly is the love of your life and we all know it! But she doesn't know that anymore, does she?! All because you been treatin' her like some imposter, and you're the only one treatin' her that way! So stop bein' so god damn pig-headed and take a look at what you're doin to her!"

"Hosea," Dutch said while putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I get what you're sayin' and I'm sure Arthur does too, but Arthur has every right to be upset. Now I ain't sayin' he's in the right, but are you sayin' it hasn't upset you that Lilly didn't know you or me? It sure as hell upset me."

"...Yes, it upset me."

Arthur knew Hosea was right. Arthur had been treating Lilly unfairly, and he knew it was horrible of him. But his damn pride. Lilly not recognizing her own husband hurt his pride. Maybe he hadn't meant as much to her as he thought. Had Lilly been

lying to him this whole time? Arthur felt duped. Like he'd been tricked, and it wasn't that far fetched. Lilly was a trickster, after all, but...there's no way she'd be so cruel. Arthur tried to come to terms with all of this but he realized his confidence in their relationship was either gone or hiding from him.

"...Just tell her the place is north of Dewberry Cre-"

"I know where it is!" Lilly shouted from the tent. "Just don't expect me tah talk tah ya very much!"

Arthur was such an asshole and he knew it. He walked away towards the horses. He needed to focus on the job, not his marital problems.

* * *

Lilly had changed into a blue buttoned shirt nearly collared and sleeves perfectly buttoned, brown pants, and black boots. For some reason, the girl had no dresses in her wardrobe. That was odd. When she asked Susan why, she only said Lilly hated dresses. Hmm. A countess who hated dresses. Interesting. Lilly had her hair done up in tiny infinity knot braids. Her mother had been fond of the hairstyle, as outdated as it was, but Lilly loved it. She braided eight of them, and then two bigger sized braids resting lazily under the tiny braids. Her bangs were long enough to be pushed back, thank God. Her auburn hair was a long length that reached just to her lower back. Maybe her hair was too impractical for a train robbery.

Lilly was riding with her wolves in the early evening when she stopped at Dewberry Creek and started undoing her braids. Ugh, stupid braids. Good going, Countess O'Callaghan! Lilly eventually decided on one big braid but kept the little braids with. It was still practical. Just a bit flashy.

"M'lady," she heard Arthur say as he approached on Rose.

Lilly didn't even bother to look at him. "Mr. Morgan." When he was silent, Lilly jerked around. "Wha-"

He was in his summer gunslinger outfit with his collar undone and his sleeves rolled up. Some of the hair on his chest was showing and it made Lilly blush. "Kinda hot to have your sleeves down and your collar done up, ain't it?" Arthur asked.

Now that he mentioned it, yes. It was hot. Lilly rolled up her sleeves, secured them, then unbuttoned her collar. She undid two more buttons and looked up at Arthur. "There. Satisfied?"

"No. You need to undo all the buttons for that to happen."

Lilly made an 'ick' sound. "I don't know who is worse, you or Micah."

Arthur groaned. "Don't tell me. He was throwin' himself at you after you got him out?"

"...Is that a normal thing?"

"Well, yes. You...Lilly was a flirt. And most of the men were quite, uh, fond of her. In the biblical sense."

Lilly blinked. "Oh good grief. Is she a...floozie?"

Arthur laughed. "No. Just a flirt. I'm the only one she's been with."

"Oh."

"Wanna tell me about what went down with Micah?"

"Another time. We have a train to rob, sir. Let us go." Lilly couldn't meet his eyes because if she did, her heart might race and she would know Arthur was her chuisle.

"'Course, m'lady," Arthur said stiffly. "Up at the uh, hill there, okay?" Arthur clicked his tongue and went trotting off.

Lilly went to Liath and mounted up. Her and the wolves galloped to the abandoned, rundown shack just outside some stables. Lilly wanted to go take a look but she noticed Sean was by the old shack shooting bottles. He was always a horrible shot.

"Sean, I don't know why ya even bother practicing. Ya have the worst shitty shot I've ever seen!" Lilly exclaimed jokingly.

"Oh, well not all of us could get trained to shoot by Dutch, Hosea, and Arthur. And if I recall correctly, you were horrible at first," Sean said.

"At first. The second time, I was more than likely brilliant!"

"Uh huh. Now stop distractin' me, lass! I got bottles tah shoot!"

Lilly laughed. "I'd say that ya couldna hit the broad side of a barn, but that would only insult people who canna hit the broad side of a barn!"

Arthur cackled at her joke. "That's a good one."

Lilly crossed her arms. "I'm going to go look at horses." Lilly trotted over to the stables and waved to the stable owner. "Hello, sir. I am interested in looking at a horse to purchase." As much as she loved Liath, she needed a spare horse so her Ardennes could rest from time to time.

"Sure!" the stable owner said. "Come and take a look."

Lilly saw some of the horses in the stables but she wasn't sure she wanted them. They were very nice horses, including the Bay Roan Ardennes, but she already had an Ardennes. Lilly sighed. "I like the Ardennes, but do you have any other big horse breeds? I prefer big horses. I am rather tall for a woman, so," she said with a pause.

"Hmm. I do have some Shires, if you're interested in those. I have one in particular that I'm lookin' to sell, but he is a nasty, mean one. Not sure he'd suit you."

"Well, I'd like to take a look, at least."

The man laughed. "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." Lilly followed him outside to the horse pen. She saw all sorts of horses of different breeds and colors. The man began to point them out. "Got some Kentucky Saddlers, Morgans, Tennessee Walkers, a few Belgians for drafting, and the Shires. I got two light grays, Gertrude and Bonnie."

"Such pretty ladies," Lilly said with genuine smile. "And the other one?"

"That would be Scorn. I got him from the stables in Valentine. Wanted him as a work horse but he's a pain in the ass."

Lilly laughed. "Hmm, perhaps he just doesn't like to work."

"Haha, maybe. Hmm, where...oh, there he is."

Lilly squinted her eyes. The horse was hiding in one of the wooden shelters. "May I get a closer look?"

"Sure. Your funeral."

Lilly wanted to laugh. She got up and over the fence and made her way towards the black horse. "Hey there, sweetheart," she cooed. "Come out, don't be shy." The horse neighed angrily. Lilly took a step back. Oh shit. He was rather ornery. "Easy, boy, easy. I'm not here to bother you, I just want to take a look at you."

The horse hoofed the ground and walked out. Oh wow. The horse was beautiful. Very beautiful. "Well, look at you. Such a handsome fellow."

The horse snorted angrily and charged at her. "Oh balls!" Lilly jumped out of the way just in time but the male turned around and ran at her again. Lilly groaned. "STOP!" she shouted with a loud boom.

The horse stopped and backed away. Oh, she didn't mean to frighten the poor darling. "I'm sorry, boy. I didn't mean to-"

The horse galloped around her and back into the shelter. It hoofed and bayed loudly and she sighed.

"Told you he was a nasty beast!"

Lilly sighed. She needed to try something else, and then it came to her. Lilly held up her hands, bent at the knees, and shut her eyes. And it was quiet at first, but when Lilly began to gain confidence, she sang louder, and it echoed through the trees and the trails like a sweet, gentle breeze.

* * *

"Ah, you're a real fuckin' funny shit, Arthur Morgan, huh?" Sean said while reloading his gun. "Real fuckin' funny."

"Calm down," Arthur said.

"Ya better sleep with yer eyes open!"

"Well, you're gonna sleep with your chest op-" Arthur paused when he heard singing.

_Over in Killarney_

_Many years ago,_

_Me mother sang a song to me_

_In tones so sweet and low..._

Was that Lilly singing? Arthur looked at Sean who was relaxed and his eyes were severely dialated. That was something Lilly said happened when she sang. But why wasn't it happening to him?

_Just a simple little ditty,_

_In her good ould Irish way..._

Arthur went jogging towards the stables. There were some deer who were completely stuck in their stances as well as some squirrels and rabbits.

_And I'd give the world if she could sing_

_That song to me this day..._

Arthur saw the stablehand. His eyes were big and round too. The wolves were docile and all the horses were laying down and relaxed, save for one. Arthur watched Lilly approach a raven black Shire...one that looked familiar. But then he heard Lilly singing again and he was enthralled by it.

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too ra-loo-ra-li_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo ral, hush, now don't you cry..._

Arthur smiled as he stared at Lilly calming the beast. She pat his nose and let him take in her scent.

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby..._

Arthur couldn't believe it. She really did have a beautiful, magical singing voice. And from seeing how every living thing was reacting, he didn't blame her for never using it. But she kept going anyway, and he loved every second of it. He knuckled his chin and leaned along the wooden fence as he listened to the voice of an angel.

_Oft in dreams I wander_

_To that cot again,_

_I feel her arms a-huggin' me_

_As when she held me then._

_And I hear her voice a-hummin',_

_To me as in days of yore_

_When she used to rock me fast asleep_

_Outside the cabin door_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li_...

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's a Irish luuuuuuuulllllaaabyyyyyyyyyyy..._

* * *

Lilly grinned as all the other animals resumed their stances and walked over by her. Oh. Now she was surrounded by horses. "Ha! I'll be damned."

"That was beautiful, miss!" The stable owner said. "You got him to calm down, too! That's wonderful. Do you still want him?"

"Of course!" Lilly turned to see the stable owner when she also saw Arthur. He looked enchanted. Lilly blushed. Oh boy. "How much for this fine steed?"

"Sixty dollars."

Uh oh. She didn't have that much. Just when she was about to announce her predicament, Arthur stepped in to save the day. "I got it, Lilly. You can pay me back whenever." Arthur handed the man the money and Lilly sighed.

"Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I will pay you back!"

Arthur beamed at her. "I know you're good for it." Lilly smiled at him warmly. A moment passed between the two of them as they made eye contact. Arthur had such handsome blue eyes. Lilly felt as if she could be lost forever if she kept looking, but she kept eye contact with the man all the same. "So, that's what happens, huh?"

"Yes. I'm sorry that it rendered-"

"No, it did not. Apparently I'm immune to its effects too."

With a cock of her head, Lilly approached him. "Really?" Arthur was still knuckling his chin and looking at her as if he was lovestruck. "I think it affected you, just not as much. You do look rather...amazed by it."

"Why? Because you got the voice of an angel?" Arthur asked with a wide smile. "Lilly, if I'd known how beautiful your singin' was, I'd fallen for you a lot sooner."

"...Don't you mean your wife?" Lilly corrected before breaking eye contact. "If you'd known your wife had-"

Lilly felt Arthur grab her hand and pull her closer. "Lillian, you keep doin' things my wife does, so I'm thinkin' my original assessment of the situation was...incorrect." A few memories hit Lilly just then.

_A circle of pine trees. Arthur and Lilly making love for the first time. Lilly calling him 'mo chuisle'. Kissing. Arthur touching her wetness and making Lilly come. The train. Lilly shooting guards down while Arthur pleasured her. Lilly pressing her forehead to his._

_"Forgiven," she said._

_Lilly leaning to Arthur's ear and saying something in Gaeilge. "Learn my language and I will be yours forever," said in Gaeilge._ _The scent of pine trees._

Lilly blinked a few times and backed up. "What's wrong, Lilly?" he asked. "Another memory?"

Lilly blushed and broke eye contact when Sean came walking up. "Lilly, were you singin' just now?!"

"Yes. Had to calm the horse down," Lilly said while backing away further from Arthur back to the Shire horse.

"Arthur, you were with me just now, how did you get up here so quickly?"

"I guess it doesn't affect me the same way it does everyone else." He looked at Lilly suspiciously but she turned away and pat the horse's neck.

Those memories and the emotions behind them shook her to the core. Lilly, the former one, loved Arthur to an incredibly high degree. It unnerved her and she couldn't even look at Arthur after that. Once the horse was purchased, Lilly decided on a name. Dubh Sainglenn. Doc for short. So now she had two horses named after great war horses. Liath Macha and Dubh Sainglenn. Lilly had Liath stabled for now as she saddled Doc. She'd be back for Liath later. Lilly walked with Doc and the others and raised a brow when the wolves didn't attack any animals that walked by. This was the strangest thing ever. As Lilly approached the oil wagon, Sean began talking.

"Are ya lettin' me on the raid with yas, then?" Sean asked the two of them.

"Raid?" Arthur asked.

"Don't be playin' coy with me, son. It's unbecomin'. That bloody train you and him has set up. What you're doin' out here, you're goin' to need guns, you're goin' to need men."

"Oh, that." Arthur was inspecting the wagon went on flapping his tongue. "So Marston told you? It ain't a big show. I need calmness, and I already got one hot-headed Irish person on the job. I take another on, I might as well bring Micah along."

Lilly scowled at him but then turned her attention to the sunset. "Compare me to that oily turd again and you're a dead man!" Sean yelled.

"Fair enough," Arthur chuckled deeply.

"Anyway Arthur, what's your problem with me? In fact, don't tell me. I already know! You're threatened by me."

Lilly snorted with laughter. "If you believe anyone could intimidate Morgan, you're delusional!" Lilly turned around. "I'm way scarier than you but even I don't intimidate him!"

Arthur smirked at her. "A compliment? From you? Impossible!"

Lilly laughed. "Oh please. Big dumb brutes don't get intimidated by anyone. You're no exception."

Sean let out his signature giggle. "Big dumb brute. Hahaha! I love it!"

"I may be a big dumb brute, but you're a snobby high and mighty little shit!" Arthur snapped.

"Hey, ya started the fight this time, ya eejit! Not me! So shut yer god damn trap before I shut it fer yas!"

"God damn prude!"

"Piece of shite arse faced gorilla!"

"Witch!"

"Lowlife!"

"Are you two at it again?!" John asked as he walked up with Charles. "You two need to make up or somethin'! Jesus Christ! You're worse than an old married couple and you are a married couple!"

Lilly held up her left hand. "Not anymore. It's been annulled."

"Really?" Charles said with a raised brow of interest. "So you're fair game again?"

"No, we are not annulled, and don't you even start that shit, Charles!" Arthur shouted.

Lilly blinked at Arthur. "We're not annulled? I kicked you out of the marital bed and gave you back the ring. You called me 'false wife'. I'm certain that constitutes divorce."

"No it doesn't because I didn't agree to an annullment."

"That doesn't matter!"

Arthur smirked, stood in front of her, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Accordin' to Strauss, it does."

Lilly remembered the name. Vaguely. "Who is Strauss?"

"Our loan shark and bookkeeper. Thing is, Lillian, both of us have to agree to the annullment. So you are, in fact, my wife, and if you go around actin' like you're fair game, you will see a side of me that will put even your anger to shame," he said with a very serious look.

"I fail to see how your anger could be scarier than mine."

Arthur laughed and towered over her. Barely, but it did make Lilly feel smaller. "You think you've seen me angry? Think again, cupcake!"

"I can attest to this, Lilly," Charles said. "He nearly beat a man to death in Valentine. Man can't form words now."

Lilly looked at Charles then back at Arthur. The seriousness in Arthur's face confirmed the validity of Charles' statement. "...Why did you do that?"

"We was fightin' with a bunch of people anyway, but he called me 'pretty boy'," Arthur explained.

The look on Lilly's face expressed her puzzlement. "Why would that make you mad? You are pretty." Lilly smacked her hands over her mouth.

The men laughed and Lilly cheeks went red, but a sparkle in Arthur's eyes made her feel hot in an area that was not her face. "You think I'm pretty, huh?" Arthur cooed with a smirk, then he gently pressed his mouth to her ear. "If I'm pretty, then you are breathtakingly beautiful in every way..." he whispered almost inaudibly.

Lilly's heart spasmed. "Really?"

"...Aside from your current personality, yes."

Lilly scowled. "Yer such an asshole!"

Arthur laughed and put his knuckles to his mouth as he backed up. "I really had you goin'. Ah, shit. Anyway, let's go earn some money."

The men just left her standing there. She hated all of them. And when she was done robbing this train, Lilly was going to do her own robberies from now on. She would still give a slice to the gang, seeing as she was still part of it, but Lilly was done playing around with boys. Lilly mounted Doc and followed behind the oil wagon with Brian, James, and the other horses in tow.

"Hey, isn't that the horse you and Hosea sold in Valentine?" John asked.

Arthur looked back at Lilly who refused to acknowledge that he even existed. "Huh. I thought he looked familiar."

"I thought he was bad tempered."

"He is, but apparently he found a kindred spirit." The men laughed and Lilly frowned. She didn't like being made fun of. "You find a good spot, Wolf Man?"

"Yeah, follow the trail south west. There's a spot that's...remote, but should still give 'em enough time to spot the oil wagon."

"They see this blockin' the tracks, they'll stop soon enough."

"Apparently, it picks up a new team of guards at the state line, so shouldn't be too much in the way of guns to deal with."

"See, this is what I mean!" Sean interrupted. "I disappear for a couple weeks and you cut me out of all the action."

"Just the action that requires a brain."

"Ha ha ha. Yer a funny feller, John Marston. From what folk say, ya had your feet up the whole time playin' sick and fondlin' that new scar like you're gonna buy it breakfast in the mornin'. Hey, Arthur, you saw Lilly's scars, right? Are they worse than John's?"

The wagon halted and Lilly raised her head. Arthur turned his head slowly and stared at Sean. "What did you just say?"

"I-I didn't mean nothin' by it, Arthur. I was only makin' conversation," Sean said as he tried to back pedal.

Arthur shifted in his seat and stared at Sean hard in the face. "Do not ask me about her scars again. Are we clear?"

Lilly trotted up and when she saw the look on Arthur's face, it sent a chill down her spine. He was mad. It was a rude question, but this was Sean. "Arthur, it's fine. They're just scars."

Arthur glanced at her with the same bone chilling look. "Just scars?"

"Yes. And they are my scars, so why are you so upset? I was tortured, but I managed to get out and back to yo-er, back to camp on my own." Lilly cocked her head to one side. "Hmm, you boys want to see what a hundred lashes with a barbed whip looks like?"

Lilly had her back to them as she unbuttoned her shirt. As she was about to pull the shirt down, Arthur put a hand on her knee. "Lillian, you don't have to show them a damn thing."

Lilly sighed as she untucked her white undershirt. "I know. But it doesn't bother me. As I said, they're just scars."

Arthur frowned then lowered his head and backed away. Lilly lifted her undershirt and exposed her back to everyone. Arthur didn't look, though. Apparently one look was enough for him.

"Holy shit," John said. "That's a hundred lashings?"

"Ninety seven, as far as I know. I passed out at that point."

"Lilly, I'm sorry I asked," Sean choked. "I shouldn't have pried."

"Why?" Lilly tucked her shirt back in and redressed herself. "I didn't show my scars for pity. I showed my scars to make a point. Do not mock John's scars or mine. It's irrefutable proof of what hell we went through to get them in the first place. And scars make us stronger. Do you not agree, John?"

John laughed with a wheeze. "I do now. That's an interestin' perspective on the subject, Lilly."

Lilly looked at Arthur. "The next time I hear about any of you talkin' poorly about my scars or John's, you will answer to me." Lilly trotted up to Arthur. "You think you've seen me angry, Mr. Morgan? You don't even know the meaning of the word." Her eyes were narrowed and Arthur only stared up at her with his mouth slightly open. Lilly sat up straight. "Now, let's go make some money, boys." Lilly trotted on ahead.

The continued on in silence for the rest of the way until Arthur gave directions to the men on which roles they had in the heist. When they got to the tracks, Lilly got off Doc and sent him off. Armed with her bow, her revolvers, her knives, her repeater, and her wolves, Lilly helped Charles release the horses from the wagon.

"Mr. Marston. Mr. Smith. Mr. MacGuire. Mrs...erm, m'lady. Get over there," Arthur said while pointing towards the grove of trees. "When she slows, board her." Arthur went walking to the wagon.

Lilly blinked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna make sure she slows," Arthur said as he put his foot on the tracks.

"I thought that's what the wagon was for!"

"Sean, please get Countess O'Callaghan out of sight."

"Come on, deirfiúr," Sean said as he directed Lilly along. "He's gonna be fine."

Lilly watched as Arthur climbed up on to the wagon and Lilly's heart stopped. "What is he doing?! He's gonna get killed if the train doesn't stop!"

"Lilly, he's gonna be fine, trust me, love." Sean and her ducked behind trees along with John and Charles.

"But-"

"Lilly, get your bandana on, get a gun out, and just trust Arthur. He's got this."

With a puff of annoyance, Lilly did as she was told and watched with painful suspense as the train came racing down the tracks. And when she saw Arthur standing on the wagon, confident and brave as ever, with the train slowing and stopping as he cocked his gun, Lilly knew who her heart really belonged to. But would she ever admit it to him? Hell fucking no.

Lilly walked out of the tree line with the others and she ambled to Arthur as he gave orders. "What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Take Brian and James, scout around for law or anyone else nosin' about. You know what to do?"

"Kill or persuade?"

"Whatever you see as fit, darlin'."

"Shut up. Come on, boys," Lilly said as she went walking the perimeter. "Search."

Lilly pulled out her bow and chased after Brian and James. They didn't turn up much for people until some time after she heard gunshots from the train. Lilly sent her boys after the two lawmen and they died instantly. Their horses went running and Lilly dragged both the dead bodies through the trees. Some more lawmen came riding up but Lilly and the wolves took them down swiftly and silently. However, she heard more gunshots in the direction of the train. "Brian, James, kill!"

The boys went running and Lilly got on one of the deputies' horses. She came racing down the trail and loaded three bows up as she came into the clearing by the train. The men were surrounded by law enforcement. Brian and James were taking down enemies quicker than she thought possible but Lilly came running through, making headshots and neckshots to anyone who dared hurt her men or her wolves. An officer shot her horse in the neck and it went down. Lilly jumped off and rolled her landing as she took out two knives. She was in the middle of a circle of enemies who all had guns aimed at her.

"Alright, enough miss! Put your hands above your head and get on your knees!"

Lilly chuckled. "Oh, I'm afraid I wilna be doing that." Lilly whistled and her boys came running. They tackled some of the men and Lilly went off on a killing spree of slicing and dicing while the rest were distracted. Lilly was fast, lethal, and showed no mercy. When the remaining men went running, Lilly barked with laughter. "Where ya boys going? I'm not done playing with ya yet!"

She heard Arthur laughing as he walked up to her. "Jesus Christ, Miss O, you are still a ruthless warrior!"

"I'll take that as a compliment, Mr. M.

All of them whistled for their mounts. Doc showed up along with the other horses and the gang saddled up on their horses. Arthur ordered them to ride and they all cleared out. Once they were out of harm's way, they slowed to a stop.

"Woaa," laughed Sean. "That was fun, boys. Real fun. I can see why they call you the professionals of the outfit!"

Lilly smiled as she pulled her bandana down. That was fun. The thrill of it was still pumping through her veins.

Arthur tossed everyone their share of the spoils. "Shut up, Sean," Arthur grunted.

"At least we made some easy money, and what did I get? Gotta be eighty dollars here, very nice!" Sean exclaimed.

"And you weren't even invited," said Arthur.

"What now?" John asked.

"We still need a real big take," Arthur explained. "Enough for us to get out of here."

"Was that a set up? Law turned up real fast."

"I don't know. I don't think so. I'm startin' to get nervous."

"Think they followed us from Blackwater?" Charles asked.

"Maybe," Arthur replied. "But I think this law was just locals."

"I hope so. I'm gonna head into Valentine," John said. "See if I can get something started there."

"Good idea," Arthur replied. "Either way, we should all go it alone right now. You know the deal. Don't be followed."

"Oh, of course not, boss." Sean said.

They all went their separate ways, but Arthur stopped Lilly. "You did good. Real good."

Lilly smirked. "Thanks. It felt...hmm, what's the expression? Just like old times?"

Arthur chuckled. "That familiar, huh?"

"Very." Both of them laughed and Lilly pocketed her money into her brand new satchel.

Arthur cleared his throat. "So, any word on the Ireland trip?"

"I think I have enough for tickets. Sean is ecstatic about going home for a visit. Said he and Karen might head to Donegal for part of the trip."

"So you and I will be near Galway?"

"Yes. But...now I'm thinking we'll need new clothes. I can't very well show up on Darach an ar gCnoc's doorstep in clothes like this. I need dresses."

Arthur's eyes looked like they were about to fall from his head. "You? In dresses?" he said with a smile. "Oh my God."

"Susan told me I hated dresses but I don't know why."

"You always thought them impractical, and...well, they were a bad subject for you."

"I see..." Lilly bit her lip. This was getting too close for comfort, but still, she had to say it. "Nice job stopping the train. That took guts."

"Heh heh heh, I suppose it did."

"Yes, well...anyway, I suppose we better-"

"Would you like to go fishin' with me and Jack tomorrow?" Arthur asked.

"I...um, do I even like fishing?"

"No," he laughed. "But Jack missed you an awful lot and I figured we could get to know each other better without fightin'. Wouldn't want to fight in front of him."

"This is true," she said. "Alright. Just let me know when we're going."

"Sure."

Lilly smiled. "Okay, well...bye."

Arthur sighed and smiled at her. "Bye."

That smile. That fucking smile was killing her. Lilly blinked a few times, clicked her tongue, and the wolves and Lilly rode off into the distance.


	19. The Siren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is "Siúil A Rúin". Rated M for sexual content.

_17-year-old Lilly, in a white undershirt and beige shorts was doing her laundry with the other women in the lake. She was scrubbing a pair of green pants with soap. Karen came bounding up to her with Sean._

_"Hey Lilly!" Karen giggled happily. "Sean and I are headin' into town. You wanna come with?"_

_Lilly smiled and was about to accept the invitation when she saw a shirtless Arthur Morgan by the wood chopping area. He was smoking a cigarette and motioning to her suggestively. Oh boy. Lilly looked at Karen and Sean with a frown. "I got laundry to do, guys. Otherwise I would."_

_"Oh, you can do that later!" Sean spat out. "Come oooonnn, I heard that one guy is back in town. The one that likes ya. Tommy somethin' or other."_

_Lilly bit her lip. "Sean, I really need to finish my chores."_

_"Yer always doin' chores! That and sneakin' about in trees like a monkey! Come on!"_

_Lilly took a quick glimpse at Arthur_ _before sighing. "Look, I...I really gotta finish these but can I meet you guys in town later?"_

_"Sure. Don't be long," Karen said with a smile._

_The two went running with their hands clasped. Lilly chuckled as she watched them both leave on Ennis. She was happy for the both of them. Love was hard to come by. Once they were out of sight, she looked for Arthur. He was heading out on his own horse Boadicea, though he did put his blue shirt back on. Shame. Lilly quickly hung her wet clothes and ran to Holly to chase after her guardian. As she mounted up, she looked down the trail and saw Arthur peeking behind himself to smile at her. Holly caught up and they went running together. But then Arthur's horse increased its pace and Lilly, with a frown, was left in the dirt. Holly was good for stamina but she was not built for speed. Not like a thoroughbred was._

_"Arthur, wait up!" she laughed._

_"No chance in hell, slow poke!" he yelled back._

_Lilly lost sight of her guardian but she knew how to track._

* * *

Lilly walked out of her tent in a white buttoned shirt, fingerless gloves, black pants, and black boots. Her hair was down in wavy auburn locks. She looked around for Arthur and Jack. She found them both with Brian and James by the horses and she strolled over. Arthur had his back to her.

"...wait here. Aunt Lilly's comin' with, so let me go get her."

"I'm here!" Lilly said behind Arthur. She beamed brightly at Jack. "Hey there, mo nia." _[my nephew._ _]_

Arthur turned with a smile. "There she is," was said by Arthur affectionately.

Lilly's face softened. There was something about the way Arthur said it that made her heart pump faster. She swallowed hard. "Yep, she is here. We ready to go? Oh, do I have a fishing pole?"

"It's on your saddle, m'lady."

Lilly smirked and narrowed the gap between them. She whispered to Arthur. "Do I have the proper enticements for my prey?"

"...What?" Arthur said breathlessly.

"The fish. Do I have the right bait?"

"Yes," he whispered with a gulp that followed.

Lilly smirked even more. Interesting. Although Lilly was unsure why she did it, perhaps there was something to this flirting and teasing her former self thrived on. It did feel good. It felt like hunting. "Let us go, then."

Lilly called her boys over and saddled up on Doc. She was glad Doc was unbothered by Brian and James. She looked over at Liath who was grazing with the other horses. "I took the liberty of retrieving Liath for you, your ladyship," Arthur said as he picked up Jack to sit on Rose.

"Thank you, Mr. Morgan."

"Aunt Lilly?" Jack said. "Why does Uncle Arthur keep callin' you 'm'lady'? You used to hate bein' called a lady."

"I...hmm," Lilly pondered how to word the reason. "Did you know I'm a countess, mo nia?"

"A countess? What is that?"

"I'm a noble, kid. The peerage of Ireland. The titles of nobility, go in this order. Duke, marquess, earl, viscount and baron. A countess is a wife of an earl."

"What about the wives? Why is it just men?"

Lilly laughed as they all started walking out of camp. "It's a man's world. I'm the only heir of the Moycullen title, so that leaves me as a real bonafide countess. But females are as follows: Duchess, marquisess, countess, viscountess, and baroness."

"You're right in the middle. What's higher than a duke and duchess?" Arthur asked.

"Royalty."

"You're two titles below royalty?"

"Yes, but it's not that big of a deal. Most titles have been around for centuries, but my father was the first Earl of Moycullen. He...earned his title."

"How?" Jack asked.

"You know, I don't really...oh yes. He slayed a goddess named Adair."

"A goddess?!"

"Yes. Not much was known about her. Rumor has it she was the daughter of The Dagda, Father to the Gods, and the..." Lilly gasped and stopped her horse.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, his voice full of concern.

"...The Morrigan was her mother. Goddess of War..." she looked at Arthur. "...and Death." Arthur and Lilly stared at each other in shock.

"Tell me about The Morrigan! Is she the one who brought you back from the dead?!" Jack exclaimed happily.

Lilly blinked a few times. "Who told you I died?"

"Uncle Javier. He said it was a miracle! And I'm glad you came back! Everyone missed you, especially Uncle Arthur! I heard you two got married! Wait, why aren't you two calling each other by your first names?"

"Well," Lilly stared wide eyed at Jack. He was a clever, inquisitive little boy. She loved that, but this was very personal territory he was treading on.

"They're pet names, Jack," Arthur intervened. "She calls me Mr. Morgan because she is Mrs. Morgan. And m'lady, well, that's a new thing. I didn't know she was a real lady until recently."

Lilly sighed in relief. Arthur was quick on his feet. "Exactly."

The horses dashed on towards the river before settling at the riverbank. "Alright, this looks good a spot as any," said Arthur.

Brian and James started play fighting and barking. Lilly giggled and got off her horse. She looked for her fishing pole. "Fishing pole, fishing pole..."

Arthur laughed and pointed. "It's on the other side."

Lilly chuckled and found it. She pulled it out and extended it. "Ah, okay."

"Where should we stand, Uncle Arthur?"

"Down by the shore. Follow me. First, we need some bait."

Lilly trailed after the two and looked around in her satchel. "Bait, bait, hmm..." she muttered. She just realized she had no idea what bait actually was. "Ugh, as ucht Dé..."

"Cheese will work, m'lady..."

Lilly nodded. "Right." Lilly found cheese. She stood out on the shore, baited the hook, and...god, how was she supposed to do this?

"Cheese?" Jack asked.

"The smellier, the better," Arthur replied. Lilly sniffed her cheese. Oh, yes. The smell was quite potent. "Need some help there?"

Lilly narrowed her eyes at Arthur who looked highly amused. "No, I do not, thank you very much."

"If you say so," he chuckled. "Now," he said to Jack. "To cast your line, swing the rod back over your shoulder..." Lilly followed what Arthur and Jack were doing. "Then bring it forward in a smooth motion."

Lilly watched both of them do it and their lines flew out. She tried...but her line went and hooked her pants. "Ack! Shit!"

Arthur cackled. "You sure you don't need help?" Lilly unhooked and tried again. Nope. Didn't work. She was so focused on trying to get her line undone from her shirt, she jumped a bit and tensed when Arthur grabbed the pole from behind her. "Fishin' was never Lilly's, uh, favorite pastime," he whispered. "Huntin' was her preference. So don't be embarassed, okay?"

"Alright..." Lilly stiffened more from the feeling of Arthur's warm body behind her. She looked down at his blue rolled up sleeves and suppressed herself from trembling. His arms were so...manly.

_Arthur's l_ _ips were on her ear. "Lillian," he whispered. "You have no idea how long I've wanted you, mo grá."_

_"How long?" she asked seductively._

_"A very long time."_

Her lips parted as her mouth went dry and her cheeks burned. Her breathing got heavier and her heart raced but she didn't notice any of it until Arthur gently ahemed into her ear. "What?" she asked.

"Are you payin' attention?" Arthur questioned with a chuckle.

"Sorry. Ahem."

"Were you distracted, m'lady?" he mocked in a heavy voice.

"...Another memory. I get those a lot when you get close."

"Oh. What was this one about?"

"...If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not..."

_"I'd rather not say, Mr. Morgan," Lilly said while nuzzling his cheek. "A woman shouldn't say such things."_

_"You ain't a normal woman, Lilly," Arthur said while kissing her neck gently. "Tell me, please."_

_"No. You won't ever break me into sayin', my doting prey."_

_Arthur pulled her closer and grasped her hair. "Wanna bet? Because you got a strong threshold, but mine is stronger." Arthur licked her jaw line and Lilly shuddered._

_"I'll bet ya me fuckin" maidenhead, Arthur Morgan. I'll bet ya me whole god damn body, pussy and all the feckin' rest."_

Lilly shivered from the memory and dropped the pole. "Oh my goodness, the mouth on her."

Arthur laughed as he picked up the pole. "You mean the mouth on you. You're gettin' more and more like her every day."

Lilly turned her head and beamed at him. "Am I?"

"Well, you was flirtin' with me earlier."

"I did no such thing," she lied.

Arthur flashed his white teeth. "Liar."

"Bithiúnach," she whispered.

Arthur turned her to face him. "Little trouble makin' prankster."

"Arsehole."

Arthur pulled her closer. "Little minx."

Lilly blushed as they narrowed the distance. "Mr. Morgan, you are getting very bold."

"I am. Shall I get even more bold?"

"I don't know, should you?" she teased.

"There she is," he chuckled. "There's my wife."

Lilly felt her heart flutter then pound so hard she was sure it would break in two. "I...um..."

"You got a bite, Uncle Arthur!"

The moment passed and Lilly backed up. "You um, hmm, better check your fishing pole, Mr. Morgan."

Arthur smiled gently, gave Lilly the fishing pole, then went and picked up his own. Lilly tried casting again and was successful this time but she was no longer paying attention to anything Arthur was saying. What the hell just happened? That moment. It was a very nice moment. Why did she shy away from him like that? Wasn't she supposed to let Arthur kiss her? Lilly wanted it. Lilly knew she did. What was holding her back? No, her mind was going in circles now. Lilly felt a tug on her line and instinctively hooked the fish. "Oh! I got one!"

"There you go!" Arthur said. "Now just reel him in when he ain't fightin' you. Pull the rod around when he is."

The fish was fighting and Lilly tugged on the pole lightly then she pulled the rod back. And...the line snapped. "Bloody hell!" she yelled.

Arthur burst into laughter. "Did your line snap?"

"Yes! No wonder I hate fishing!" Lilly dropped the pole and growled angrily. "Can't I just go grab them?"

"You can try!" Arthur was still giggling.

Lilly glared at him. "It's not funny!"

"Sorry, m'lady!" Arthur tried to restrain himself and succeeded. Lilly marched into the water and when she got deep enough, Lilly bent at the knees and put her hands in. "Oh, that is another way to catch fish but it's hard to do! Good luck!" Arthur laughed.

"Okay!" Lilly sighed. "Mother fu-" Lilly froze when a fish came swimming between her legs. It was a big fish, too. Lilly lowered down slowly and inched her fingers toward the unsuspecting creature. Lilly smirked and when her hands were barely around the animal, she grabbed hard and pulled him out. "Ha! Gotcha, bitch!"

Lilly went wading through the water back to Arthur who was beaming with pride. "That's my girl!"

The fish wiggled but Lilly held on tight. "I like fishing now!"

"I bet you do!"

Lilly smiled at him but then she frowned. "Where's Jack?"

"He's pickin' some flowers."

Lilly's eye twitched. That word made her feel uncomfortable. Lilly got out of the water and Arthur reeled his fish in. "Now what should I do with the fish?"

"Gotta clean it. Cut it up. Do you remember how to do that?" Arthur asked as he ambled over.

"Maybe. Is it like skinning other animals?"

"Yes and no. Here, we'll put the monster in my bag." He reached for it.

Lilly pulled away. "Oh no you don't! You'll just take all the credit!" Lilly laughed.

"No I won't! Gimme that fish!"

"No!" Lilly backed up. "I'll just put it in my saddle bag!"

A smirked of evil spread on Arthur's face. "Not if I get it first."

Lilly's mouth puckered in amusement. "Oh really? You do realize I can just knock you over, right?"

"Yes but that ain't gonna stop me from gettin' it!"

He ran towards her and she raced away laughing. "You'll never take me alive, Morgan!" Brian snatched the fish out of her hands and she gasped. "Brian!"

The two pups began devouring the fish and Lilly pouted. "You little shitebags!"

Arthur bumped into Lilly and picked her up. "I'm takin' you alive now, lady!"

Lilly laughed in his arms as he went running into the water. "Wait, what are you doing?!"

Arthur smiled at her. "Carryin' you, what's it look like?" he asked as he trudged through the water.

"But why?"

Arthur grinned down at her. "Because I feel like it."

Lilly clung to him and smiled. "You're up to something, I know it!"

"No I'm not. What could little ole' me be up to?"

"Are you goin' to drop me?!"

"Now that you mention it..." And Arthur dropped her in the water. "Yes!"

Lilly stood up and wiped her face. She sputtered and groaned. "You ass!"

Arthur's face was serious and he was staring at her body. "Oops. I should've known better than to do that."

Lilly raised a brow then looked down. Her nipples were showing through her shirt. Lilly gasped and covered them. "Arthur! What the hell!"

Arthur sighed and began to unbutton his shirt. "Sorry, m'lady. I got caught up in the moment."

"I should say so!" she laughed. Lilly raised her head. "I should-" her mouth dropped. "Oh."

Arthur took his blue shirt and wrapped it around her, then began buttoning it up. The smell of pine trees brushed against her nostrils and she shut her eyes gently. "Somethin' wrong?" he asked.

Lilly looked into his eyes dreamily. "You smell like pine trees."

Arthur stopped buttoning. "Yes. I do. My wife likes it."

"Yes, she does," Lilly said. "It was always quite intoxicating."

Arthur yanked her to him. "Is it now?"

"Yes."

Arthur studied her face. "You smell like apples, Lillian. I always loved how you smell."

"Oh Arthur...I..." James came swimming up and barked at them. Both the adults looked at the shore and saw two men talking to Jack. Brian was guarding the boy. "Who are they?"

"I don't know. Come on!" Arthur grabbed her hand and they ran through the water. James raced off and joined Brian at his side.

"...fine young man, and in such complex circumstances," one of the strangers said. "Such fine animals, too. Are they yours?"

Lilly picked up Jack. "Yes, they are mine," Lilly said bitterly.

Arthur confronted the men. "Who the hell are you?!" Arthur belted out.

"You okay?" Lilly asked Jack.

"I'm okay. Look at this necklace I made!" Jack showed Lilly. "It's for Mama!"

"Arthur, isn't it? Arthur Morgan?" the first man asked. He was in a dark gray suit with a red and white striped vest and a gray bowler cap with a red ribbon circled around it. The other man had similar attire. Both of them had badges of some kind, but Lilly didn't recognize the symbols. "Yes, Arthur Morgan. Van der Linde's most trusted associate." The man motioned to his partner. "You've read the files. Typical case. Orphaned street kid seduced by that maniac's silver tongue and matures into a degenerate murderer. Agent Milton, Agent Ross, Pinkerton Detective Agency, seconded to the United States Government." Both the men closed in on them and Arthur moved Lilly and Jack behind him. "Nice to finally meet. We know a lot about you."

"Do you?" Arthur asked.

"You're a wanted man, Mr. Morgan. There's five thousand dollars for your head alone."

"Five thousand dollars?" Arthur emphasized. "For me?" He looked at Lilly with a grin, then back at the men. "Can I turn myself in?"

"We want Van der Linde."

"Old Dutch? I haven't seen him for months."

"That so? Because I heard a guy fitting his description," Milton said while removing his hat and wiping his brow, "robbed a train belonging to," he continued as he put his hat back on, "Leviticus Cornwall up near Granite Pass."

"Oh, ain't that a little...old fashioned nowadays?" Arthur chuckled uncomfortably.

Lilly grabbed the back of his undershirt. "Ná tabhair tú féin ar shiúl," Lilly whispered. _[Don't give yourself away.]_

"Apparently not. Listen," the man said with his hands up. He took a few steps forward, as did Agent Ross. "This is my offer, Mr. Morgan. Bring in Van der Linde, you have my word you won't swing."

Lilly had enough and put Jack down behind Arthur before standing up to Milton. "That's far enough! Any closer and I will sick my wolves on ya both! It'll be a less painful death than what I can do tah ya."

"Ha! Lillian Rose O'Callaghan. Another orphan, but not so much a degenerate. A noble. Second Countess of Moycullen, I believe, but seein' as how you saw your whole family die, I can understand why you'd grow up to be a killer. Death seems to follow you everywhere."

The boys growled at the men and each wolf pup took a step forward. Death did follow her everywhere, it seemed. It followed her all the way from Ireland and brought her back to life. "Seems ya know an awful lot about me, Agent Milton. Ya must be a good detective. What else did me file say?"

"Somethin' about you bein' a 'valuable commodity'?"

Lilly remembered that all too well, but she was not about to dwell on that memory. Still, it unnerved her and she figured Arthur didn't know about it. "Ya best not mention more in me file. You will only upset me nephew."

"Well, it seems Sir Patrick Nolan, Leviticus Cornwall, and a man known as 'Papa' are all interested in you, Miss O'Callaghan."

The name 'Papa' unnerved her even more. Arthur moved Lilly behind him. "An fáinne. Cuir ar aghaidh é. Tá sé i mo mhála," _[The ring. Put it on. It's in my bag.]_ he said as he adjusted his satchel. Lilly did as she was told and discreetly got the engagement ring out. As she put it on, Arthur continued. "If you think you're gonna take my wife, you're in for a world of trouble."

"Wife? Sir Patrick won't be happy about that," Milton said with a frown. "Said her infertility was the least of his concerns so he was going to have her anyway, but quite frankly, we only plan on givin' her to the highest bidder. Much like how Papa aquired you in New York City, wasn't it?"

Lilly dug her face into Arthur's back to hide from Jack the blood draining from her face. "I think you're done speakin' to my wife. Do you have any other matters to discuss before I sick the wolves on you?"

Brian and James growled and snapped their chops. Agent Ross pointed his gun at Brian but Arthur pulled both his pistols out and aimed them at the men. Jack gasped and Lilly picked him up. "Ah ah ah, that's far enough, Agent Ross," Arthur said.

Agent Milton motioned for Ross to lower his gun and he did. Arthur did the same. "Boys, behave," Lilly said. They both calmed down.

"No," Milton said. "But uh, I thought you should know about Mac Callander. Gave me quite a philosophy lesson. He was pretty shot up by the time I got to him. So really, it was more of a mercy killing." Lilly saw Arthur tense up. Uh oh. "Slow, but merciful."

"Fanacht socair. Gheobhaidh sé bás ón méid a rinne sé, ach ní roimh súile Jack," _[_ _Stay calm. He will die from what he did, but not before Jack's eyes.]_ Lilly whispered to Arthur. The last thing she wanted was for Jack, her little nephew, to see someone die. Seeing death changes a person, as it did her when Lilly was around Jack's age. Actually, Lilly had been about a year older. She clung to little Jack but she tightened her grip on Arthur's shirt. "Iarraim ort. Le do thoil." _[I ask you. Please.]_

Arthur sighed in irritation. "You enjoy bein' a rich man's toy, do ya?" Arthur said calmly, but with a very angry undertone.

"I enjoy society, flaws and all. You people venerate savagery, and you will die savagely. All of you."

Lilly held Jack's head to her shoulder and covered his ear. She did not want him to hear this. "Arthur, please."

Arthur whispered to the man. "Oh, we're all gonna die, Agent."

"Some of us sooner than others," Milton whispered back. "Now, Miss O'Callaghan, we will be back for you. You better hope it's Sir Patrick that raises the price for your safe return. So far, Mr. Cornwall only wants you for twenty thousand dollars. Sir Patrick Nolan wants you for fifty. And Papa...he wants you for eighty, and all of them are tryin' to outbid each other."

Lilly laughed. Oh my God, no. No no no. Oh, why did she need to be something that everyone wanted to use for their own gain? "Huh, maybe I should be the one turning myself in."

"You ain't doin' no such thing, woman!" Arthur snapped. "Now you two get the hell outta here before I beat the shit outta you both! Ya hear me!?"

The wolves snapped at the men again and they backed up. "Enjoy your freedom, girl, while you still can!" Ross said with a laugh. The men got on their horses and left.

Once they were gone, Arthur turned around and held both Jack and Lilly. She was trembling and almost burst into tears. "Who were they?" Jack asked.

"No one to worry about. No one at all," Arthur replied. "Come on, go pick up your things and let's get home."

Lilly kissed Jack's head and put him down. Jack went for his pole and Lilly looked at Arthur. "What am I gonna do? Three different men are after me."

"Dutch and Hosea should know, but no one else. But...Lillian, what did Agent Milton mean about you bein' aquired by the highest bidder? A valuable commodity?"

Lilly frowned. "I don't want to say just now. Let's just get back to camp, please." Lilly walked over to Jack. "You ready, little Jack?" she said with a smile.

* * *

 _5-year-old Lilly struggled in white rags and black untied boots as she was dragged into a dimly lit underground area. The place was crawling with men. Monsterous men. Lilly cried and screamed out for her brother as she was put on a wooden platform. Brian, Darragh, and Sean were dragged along with their hands tied behind their backs. The men holding them were laughing. People were screaming and shouting_.

_"Let's see what your little sister goes for!"_

_"Yeah, bring out The Siren!"_

_"Let's see what ya got, girl!"_

_"She don't look like no siren to me!"_

_Lilly kicked and scratched at the men as Sean, Darragh, and Brian yelled out for her. "Leave her alone!" Sean screamed._

_"Deirfiúr beag!" Brian cried out. "Kick their arses!"_

_Lilly kicked a man in the shin and elbowed another in the groin, then she snatched a knife from one of them and held it to one man's throat. The crowd died down and Lilly glared at them all. "Let me and me men go, or I'll kill the lot of ya!" Some people on the crowd laughed. Lilly rolled her eyes. "STOP YER LAUGHIN'!" Everyone went quiet. Lilly breathed raggedly. "Good, now that I have yer attention, LET ME-"_

_A man covered Lilly's mouth and she screamed into it. "Get off my sister, ya bastard!" Brian yelled._

_Lilly stabbed the man holding her and he went down. Lilly turned and sliced his throat open. He slumped to the ground and everyone cheered. "LET MY MEN-"_

_Another man grabbed her by the mouth while the other yanked the knife out of her hand. "Come on! We need to get her to the selling block!"_

_"Wait!" One of the men behind Darragh pulled out a knife and stabbed Darragh in the back. Lilly cried as did Brian and Sean. The man pointed a bloody knife at the girl. "That's for my cousin you just killed!"_

_"Da!" Sean cried._

_"Let my sister go!"_

_The man who stabbed Darragh put a knife to Brian's throat. "You behave now, girl, or your brother dies next!"_

_Lilly looked at Darragh and stopped struggling. The man behind her removed his hand she sobbed. "I'm sorry, Darragh! Sean, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll be a good girl, just don't kill them! Please!"_

_Darragh was already gone and the knife was taken off Brian's throat. "Good. Now sing, girl!" the murderer demanded._

_Lilly sighed. She didn't have a choice. She had to. Lilly took a deep breath. "What song would you like to hear?" she asked bitterly._

* * *

"We got a problem!" Arthur snapped vehemently as he and Lilly got to Dutch's tent.

"What?" Dutch said, not sounding too worried.

"We just met some guys out near the river. A fella named, uh..."

Lilly noticed how upset Arthur was. He looked and sounded quite unraveled. "Agent Milton and Agent Ross," Lilly said bitterly. Dutch shut his book.

"Yes, Milton and Ross!"

"And?" Dutch said.

"And! They are employees of the Pinkerton Detective Agency!" Arthur paced back and forth. "And they know about the train and they know we're here!"

Dutch slammed his book down and closed in on Arthur. "Were you followed back here?!"

"No! They know we're near here! And they want you, Dutch! They offered me my freedom in exchange, they did, but that's the least of our problems!" Arthur looked as if he wanted to choke someone, he was so red in the face.

"What do you mean?"

Lilly sighed. "Apparently they want me more, Da. Actually, three men want me more and those agents have been offered a lot of money for me, and I mean _a_ _lot_ of money."

"Which men?" Dutch asked with concern. "Why do they want you?"

"Sir Patrick Nolan wants me as his wife despite my...condition, Papa probably wants me for the same reason as before, and here's the kicker: Leviticus Cornwall wants me too! Probably because of my shout."

"Lillian, keep your voice down!" Arthur said as he confronted her. "Do not let anyone around here know that!"

"You think any of us would turn her in for any amount of money?" Dutch laughed.

"We ain't worried about you or Hosea. Just...everyone else. But it's a lot of money."

"How much money?"

Arthur huffed. "Cornwall for twenty thousand, Patrick for fifty, and Papa for eighty."

Dutch whistled. "Well shit. That is a lot. But we'll tell Hosea and no one else." Dutch sighed. "No one is bringin' you anywhere, Lilly. You know that, right?"

"I know. But...as weak as it sounds, I just don't feel very safe now." Lilly looked down and began to fidget with her fingers. "And I don't want to endanger anyone here, either. Maybe I should just leave the gang."

"No, you ain't leavin' the gang," Dutch said as he put his hands on her shoulders. "But I think you need to go take that trip now. Lilly, if you want to be safe, you gotta sell your estate and forfeit your title. I'm sorry, but I don't see any other way. Then you and Arthur and Sean and Karen come home with the money, and we get the hell out of here! We'll leave the country if we have to! Okay?"

Lilly nodded in agreement. "Okay."

"I'm gonna send one of the boys into town for trip supplies. Lilly, you stay put for now. Do not go out on your own without your wolves or an escort, not even for huntin' okay? And you keep Brian and James with you in camp."

"Yes, Da."

"Arthur. On this trip, do not let Lilly out of your sight. Not even for a moment."

"Of course, Dutch," Arthur said.

Dutch looked down at Lilly's fingers. "Oh. You put the ring back on."

"...That was so Arthur and I could say we were already married. So the agents would tell Sir Patrick that I am not for sale."

"Well, I suggest you keep it on, even if it's just for appearances. I also suggest you two start plannin' and packin'. Now, I'm gonna go find Hosea and inform him of our new situation."

Lilly nodded again. Dutch left and she bit her lower lip. Arthur lifted her chin. "Everythin' is gonna be okay, Lilly. You can protect yourself just fine, but I will protect you too. No matter what."

Lilly looked into his eyes. "You promise?"

"I promise. Now, uh...can we talk about...you know, the other thing Milton said?"

Lilly grabbed Arthur's hand and escorted him to her tent. They walked in and Lilly sighed. "Okay, I am still struggling with many memory gaps, but...Arthur, I sang. I sang in the lifeboat to get James to stop crying. People told other people, and I was...captured and..." Lilly sat down on the bed. "I was sold to Papa."

"...Sold? Like a slave?"

Lilly lowered her head. "Like a valuable commodity. They found out about my shout and my singing. They said I was a siren."

Arthur sat on the bed with her. "I'm so sorry, Lillian. I...every time you tell me somethin' about your past...it makes me angry."

"I don't want your pity."

"I don't pity you. I am in awe of you."

Lilly gaped at him. "In awe?"

Arthur held her hand. "You are the strongest woman I know, Lilly O'Callaghan. You been through more than I could possibly comprehend."

Lilly smiled at him gently. "You will. Eventually. I...feel like I could tell you everything. Not all at once, but in increments."

"...That means a lot to me, Lillian. It truly does."

Lilly sighed. "I'm tired."

"Chamomile?"

"No. I just..." Lilly realized her clothes were wet. "Oh, I still have your shirt." Lilly unbuttoned it but she noticed her body was still visible under the shirt. Lilly also noticed that she didn't care. The look of wanting on Arthur's face trumped her modesty.

"Lilly, you're still-"

"Wet? Yes," Lilly sighed in a suggestive way. "I am still very wet."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Are you...are you flirtin' with me again?"

"I am doing no such thing, Mr. Morgan." Lilly pulled the shirt off and tossed it on the bed. "Unless you like that sort of thi-"

"Arthur? Lilly?" Hosea said outside. "Family meeting."

Arthur frowned. "Get changed then come meet us." He got up and walked out.

* * *

_17-year-old Lilly tracked Arthur's horse to a secluded pond. She got off and started tracking his feet when she found him waiting for her by a tree. Shirtless. Lilly grinned and pinned him to a tree before placing a kiss on his neck. "Ya feckin' evil man, sneakin' away from yer predator like that."_

_"What are you gonna do about it? Spank me?"_

_"Yes." Lilly did spank him and Arthur yelped deeply._

_"Oh, you saucy little woman. Do it again."_

_Lilly did it again. "Yer such a naughty boy." Lilly bit his chest and he groaned._

_"God, Lilly, I didn't think we were using our mouths today."_

_"We are." Lilly nibbled on his throat. "You shouldn't have done it to me if it bothers you. It made me so hungry."_

_A deep growl vibrated in his throat. "You don't know what hunger is, Lillian." He grabbed her, pushed her into another tree, picked her up, and pressed himself against her. "You haven't a god damn clue."_ _Arthur_ _pushed against her again._

_"Oooh, Arthur...ya make me, oh..."_

_"Make you what?"_

_"I'm not tellin' ya," she smirked evily._

_"Oh come on..." he pleaded._

_"I'd rather not say, Mr. Morgan," Lilly said while nuzzling his cheek. "A woman shouldn't say such things."_

_"You ain't a normal woman, Lilly," Arthur said while kissing her neck gently. "Tell me, please."_

_"No. You won't ever break me into sayin', my doting prey."_

_Arthur pulled her closer and grasped her hair. "Wanna bet? Because you got a strong threshold, but mine is stronger." Arthur licked her jaw line and Lilly shuddered._

_"I'll bet ya me fuckin" maidenhead, Arthur Morgan. I'll bet ya me whole god damn body, pussy and all the feckin' rest."_

_"Jesus Christ, Lillian...don't make promises you can't keep._ _"_

* * *

_5-year-old_ _Lilly took a deep breath. "What song would you like to hear?" she asked bitterly. Everyone started yelling all at once. Lilly rolled her eyes. "ONE AT A TIME!" her voice boomed._

_"An Irish Lullaby!"_

_"My Wild Irish Rose!"_

_Siúil A Rúin!"_

_Lilly smiled sadly. "Siúil A Rúin it is!"_

_Everyone cheered except for Sean and Brian. Sean was mourning and crying while Brian gave her a pitiful look. Lilly waved her hands to motion for silence. She took a deep breath and began her singing a slow, melodic tune._

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_ _[Come, come, come O love]_

 _Siúil go socar agus siúil go ciúin_ _[Quickly come to me, softly move]_

_Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom_ _[Come to the door, and away we'll flee]_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_ _[And safe for aye may my darling be]_

_Lilly jumped off the platform as she decided to sing faster. All the people in the room were immobile and slack jawed with big black eyes, save for the men who were on the platform. They had jimmy rigged ear plugs in._

_I wish I was on yonder hill_

_Tis there I'd sit and cry my fill_

_Until every tear would turn a mill_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_Lilly began to twirl around._

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_

_Siúil go socar agus siúil go ciúin_

_Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_I'll sell my rock, I'll sell my reel_

_I'll sell my own spinning wheel_

_To buy my love a sword of steel_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_

_Siúil go socar agus siúil go ciúin_

_Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_I'll dye my petticoats, I'll dye them red_

_And 'round the world I'll beg my bread_

_Until my parents shall wish me dead_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_

_Siúil go socar agus siúil go ciúin_

_Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_I wish, I wish, I wish in vain_

_I wish I had my heart again_

_And vainly think I'd not complain_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin_

_Siúil go socar agus siúil go ciúin_

_Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom_

_Is go dté tu, mo mhuirnín slán_

_Lilly stopped dancing and everyone went back to normal. Everyone cheered and applauded._

_"Alright, let's get The Siren up on the selling block!"_

* * *

Lilly changed into her black summer gunslinger outfit and began to pack her clothes in a traveling chest. Lilly picked it up with ease and walked out of the tent to the wagon they were going to take to the train station. They were leaving for New York City that very day.

"Lilly" Dutch called out to her. "Let's go into town for a drink!"

Lilly smiled at him. "What's the occasion?"

"Just want to spend time with my daughter til she has to go away."

"Ah. Fair enough. Should we take the wagon?"

"Naw, just take Doc. We'll grab the wagon and Liath later. Arthur's out doing something with John. Dutch is already in town waitin'."

"Okay, let's go!" Lilly said happily. "I could go for a drink anyway!"


	20. Uncle Levi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for mature content.

Lilly and Hosea rode into town on Doc and Silver Dollar. They went to the smaller saloon to meet up with Dutch. As they got up the steps with her wolves, though, Lilly heard an Austrian man.

"Ah, that must be Strauss," Hosea said.

"Oh, yeah...um...I remember him."

Lilly, Hosea, Brian and James strolled on in and Dutch waved at them. "Ah, Lilly! Hosea! Come! Have a drink!"

Lilly sat by Dutch with her pups and Hosea sat by Strauss. "How are you feeling, Miss O'Callaghan?" Strauss asked.

"Viel besser, Danke," _[Much better, thanks]_ Lilly said. She blinked. "Oh. Do I speak German?"

Hosea and Dutch gaped at her while Strauss laughed. "And Polish."

Lilly smiled. "Well I'll be damned. Mówię też tym językiem?" _[_ _I also speak this language?]_ Lilly put a hand to her mouth. "Ha! Isn't that something?"

"How do you know those?" Hosea asked curiously.

Lilly shrugged. "Hell if I know."

"You know any more?"

"Again, hell if I know."

The four drank and talked and laughed as time went on. While the three men were getting drunk, Lilly was still pretty sober. Leave it to the Irish to hold their liquor well. Dutch ordered another bottle of whiskey and poured more shots for everyone. Eventually, they started talking about things of a philisophical nature. Which brought about Strauss' change of heart with which clients he chose.

"I have been trying to find less desperate people to give loans to, but I'm afraid it has been rather difficult looking for different clients. However, the way you handled the last batch, Lilly, I think we could come to an agreement."

Lilly quirked a brow. "...The last batch? Oooohh, I remember now. I collected debts for you in Arthur's stead. Yes, but...that last fellow, I...I couldn't help it, Herr Strauss. I paid his debt. He had nothing...except a watch. A watch of sentimental value and, well..."

"I figured as much, Lilly, but don't worry. As long as the debt is paid, I won't worry about how it was done. That was the job Arthur was given, and ultimately, the job you were assigned with."

"Tell me Strauss, which perspective do you hold true? Relativism or absolutism?" Lilly asked. She was finding the conversation quite stimulating.

"I believe I have more of a relative perspective, Lilly."

"Do you feel like the ends justify the means for everything?"

Strauss chuckled. "Not everything. But, in the end, I don't believe in absolutes. Only shades of gray. Compromises."

"Compromising?" Dutch interjected.

Lilly looked up as Arthur and John approached. "Gentlemen," Strauss said.

"Dutch, Leopold, Hosea, Lilly," greeted Arthur.

"Where have you been?" Dutch asked accusingly.

"Workin'. Marston's thing."

"Good. And?"

"We're just waitin' to get some pay on...a few sheep."

"Leopold, my good friend," Dutch announced. "As long as you're here, why don't you and John go make sure there ain't no funny business?"

"Of course," Leopold replied as he stood up.

"Gentlemen, Lilly," John said before exiting with Strauss.

"Drink?" Dutch asked Arthur.

"Sure." Arthur sat next to Lilly.

"Nothin' like talking to Old Strauss to make you want to blow your own brains out. I should have left him where I found him all those years ago. Bookish little Austrian fresh off the boat, his eyes out on stalks..." Dutch ranted jokingly as he poured them all a drink.

"Ah, he's not so bad," Hosea said.

Arthur grabbed his glass. "Well, I guess the Dutch Van der Linde finishin' school has some strange graduates."

Dutch smiled. "That it does." They all raised their glasses. "To your good health, all of you."

"Sláinte," Lilly said.

They clinked their glasses together. They tapped the glasses on the table, then they all downed the liquid down their throats.

"Van der Linde!" someone outside shouted. "Get out here!"

Brian and James' heads lifted as they were woken from their little afternoon nap at Lilly's feet and she dropped her glass. "Oh fucking Christ on a biscuit!" That voice. She knew that voice.

"What the hell?" Dutch spoke as all four gang members stared at each other.

Lilly stalked over to the window with Arthur. "Van der Linde!" the stranger shouted again. Lilly stared at an older, bald, but rich looking man on a horse with several bounty hunters by him.

"Son of a bitch!" she laughed.

"Why are you laughin'?" Arthur asked.

"I know who that is, that's why!"

"You don't know me, but you keep robbing me! My name is Leviticus Cornwall! I am not a man to be messed with by the likes of you! Get out here, before I have these men killed!"

Two more bounty hunters showed up with Strauss and John in chokeholds. Lilly laughed again with glee. She couldn't believe her eyes. It had been so long and the man was older, but Lilly recognized him straight away. "Well I'll be...hold on, I'll handle this." Lilly walked over to the door and her pups followed but she made them stay.

"Lillian, no!" Arthur snapped and went after her. "Lilly!"

"What the hell are you doin'?!" Dutch shouted at Lilly. "You get back here, young lady!"

Leviticus kept yelling. "And if Miss O'Callaghan is in there, bring her out now! I will not negotiate for her safe re-"

Lilly walked out the door. "As I god damn live and breathe!" Lilly yelled happily. "Uncle Levi, is that you?"

Cornwall looked at the door and smiled with delight. "Lillian! You little doll face!" Lilly laughed and ambled over to 'Uncle Levi' as he got off his horse. They embraced each other and laughed joyfully. Levi held her at arms length. "I haven't seen you in what, sixteen years? Seventeen?"

"I think seventeen years."

"Lillian, what the hell is goin' on?!" Dutch shouted.

"Is that Mr. Van der Linde in there? When did he kidnap you? Those agents told me you were a member of his gang but I couldn't believe it!" Levi said.

"What? Heavens, no! Him and Hosea adopted me when I was seven!" Lilly explained. Leviticus gaped at her. "Wait, is that why you put a price on me?" Lilly asked incredulously. "So you could 'save me' from big ole' mean Dutch Van der Linde?"

"Yes!" he laughed. "Are you telling me you were never taken hostage?"

Lilly cackled. "No, ya silly man! They saved my life! Da! Athair! Arthur! Come on out, Uncle Levi won't bite!"

The three men came out with their hands up. Levi ordered his men to lower their guns and let go of John and Strauss. "So, Dutch and Hosea are your adoptive fathers, huh? He's been robbing from me."

"Well, had I known it was you we were robbing, we would have steered clear of anything with your name on it! God, I should have known it was you! All those books you had in your private car had your name written all over 'em! Speaking of names, what the hell kind of name is Leviticus Cornwall?"

"Leviticus is my real name, you crazy child!" he laughed gleefully. "But, oh, you were so young, you could never quite pronounce it. And Cornwall was my mother's maiden name. I'm so glad to see you!"

"Lilly?" Arthur said behind her. "I'm a bit lost here. I thought you didn't have family left?"

Lilly rolled her eyes in amusement. "He's not a blood relative, just an old friend of my late father and mother. He came overseas every Christmas and Easter to visit and, well, he ended up being Uncle Levi." She looked behind her and saw Dutch and Hosea looking wary but Arthur looked dumbfounded. "Uncle Levi, I'd like you to meet Dutch Van der Linde, Hosea Matthews, and Arthur Morgan. Da, Hosea, Athair, Arthur, this is Leviticus Cornwall."

"Hello, Mr. Cornwall," Dutch said with little confidence. "Um, well, this is a bit awkward, ain't it, Hosea?"

"A bit, yeah," Hosea replied.

"Well yes, quite," Levi chuckled. "Lilly, I assume you know Sir Patrick and An-"

Lilly cut him off. "Yes, 'I know all about that." Lilly made a face that said, 'do not say anything else about it'.

Leviticus inclined his head in understanding then he looked at the three men. "Well, Mr. Van der Linde. You've been robbing from me, but it seems like we should have a civilized discussion about that. Boys," Levi said to the bounty hunters and guards. "You may go. Your services are no longer required.

Lilly's eyes widened and she smirked at her fathers and husband. "Told you I'd take care of it. Now!" Lilly grabbed her uncle's hand. "How's about a drink or two?

"I'd be delighted!" Leviticus said.

* * *

Arthur, Hosea, John, Strauss, and Dutch stared at the casual and happy reunion with wide eyes and open mouths. Arthur thought this was the most awkward and weirdest circumstance he'd ever witnessed. "Well," he said to the rest of the gang. "Drinks?"

"Yes," they all replied at once.

All of them except Arthur followed Lilly and 'Uncle Levi' into the saloon and he shook his head. Arthur didn't know if he should be glad for, confused with, or a little peeved at Lilly. Yes, Lilly's memory had huge gaps, but she never mentioned that she recalled a god damn 'Uncle Levi'. Lilly kept her past private but she could have mentioned a god damn 'Uncle Levi'. Lilly's blood relatives were all dead and she had Dutch and Hosea and the rest of the gang as family for fifteen years but not once did she ever mention a god damn 'Uncle Levi'! Arthur shook his head again, let out a furious puff of air, and walked into the saloon. He went to the counter and ordered a whole bottle of bourbon.

* * *

After discussing an agreement between Dutch and Leviticus about the gang staying away from all things that was Leviticus Cornwall's stuff, it was now early afternoon and Lilly and Levi were copious with laughter in their drunken state, as was Dutch, Hosea, and Strauss, but not Arthur. Lilly could have paid attention but she decided not to. She was too happy.

"So, wait...wait...you only realized it was me because of the men we sent back with it?! How?" she asked.

"I believe one of them said, "Sir, we were accosted by a loud but very polite Irish girl who scared the shit out of us by shouting and threatening to hang us from a mountain by our entrails" and when I asked how that compelled them to open the god damn door, well, they had no god damn clue," Leviticus replied.

Lilly slammed her palm on the table and broke into a fit of giggles. "That sounds about right."

"So Lilly's always had that shout?" Dutch asked.

"Oh yes. She was born with it. You should have heard her as a baby. Scared the hell out of all the staff and her family and me whenever she cried. And when she started talking, oh good god...I think the O'Callaghans went through so many maids and butlers and other staff members because Lilly frightened them with her temper. I've never seen a child so talented in making an adult shit their pants."

More laughter filled the building. Lilly stared over at a drunk Arthur who was over at the bar and she sighed. "Excuse me for a minute, I must go see to my darling husband. I think he is quite cross," she whispered.

Lilly got up and walked over. "Husband? That man is her husband?" Levi asked in surprise.

"Yes. Couldn't find a better match, either," Hosea said. "Similar temperments."

"Well I should certainly hope so! I wouldn't expect Lilly to choose anyone meek and mild."

"Yes, Arthur is quite the opposite, I assure you," Dutch laughed.

The conversation went out of ear shot as Lilly sat next to Arthur. "Husband. I assume you are angry with me and I would like to discuss it without having a fight so can we please do that, Arthur?"

Arthur eyed her and scoffed. "I'll try."

"Is it because I never mentioned I had a non-related uncle?"

"Yes."

Lilly put a hand on his. "Please don't be mad at me. I should have mentioned it but, well, I'm recalling more of myself and I know I was a very secretive person, although I don't really know why."

"Because of Papa's men. They're still looking for you."

"Well, we know that now. You heard those agents."

Arthur looked at her and smiled softly. "I'm not tryin' to be mad, darlin', and I know I shouldn't be. I suppose I was caught off guard and-"

"We've both had a long day?"

Arthur chuckled. "Yes. Yes we have." He gripped her hand and kissed it. "But you do realize we got a train to catch tonight?"

"Yes, you are correct. We need to go get the wa-."

"Where have you shites been?!" Sean came in laughing. "Gettin' drunk without me and my lady?!"

Karen walked in after him. "Yeah! What's the idea?!"

Lilly and Arthur laughed. "Sorry, Sean. I uh, got caught up with an old friend," Lilly said while aiming a finger at her Uncle Levi.

"Isn't that Leviticus Cornwall?" Sean asked. "How do you know him?"

"He's my Uncle Levi. Not a blood relative, but an old friend of the family."

"Sean! Karen!" Dutch yelled drunkenly. "Come 'ere please!"

Sean and Karen walked over to the table and Lilly smirked at Arthur. "Ha. So, I knew somethin' before Sean did?" Arthur teased.

"Yep. Feel special yet, mo fear álainn?" _[my beautiful man?]_

Arthur stared at her lovingly. "I do now, mo bean álainn." _[my beautiful woman.]_

Lilly put her elbow on the wooden bar, knuckled her cheek, and gazed at Arthur as he was about to take a drink. "Is mian liom nár chaill mé mo chuimhne. Ansin ní bhraithfinn chomh dona sin faoi bheith fliuch thart timpeall ort." _[I wish I didn't lose my memory. Then I wouldn't feel so bad about being wet around you.]_

Arthur almost choked on his bourbon. It made Lilly laugh. "You god damn vixen!"

"Sea, sea. Would you have me any other way?" _[Yes, yes.]_

Arthur smiled at her. "No. No, I love you just the way you are, m'lady."

Lilly smiled and bit her lip. "You don't have to call me that anymore, you know."

"But I want to. It's growin' on me."

"Why?"

Arthur closed in and brushed his lip along her earlobe. "Because when we resume certain activities," he spoke low and soft as his hand settled on her inner thigh and it made Lilly take in a sharp breath. "And we will, I will tell m'lady how much I've missed eatin' from her honeypot, I will tell m'lady how much my cock has been achin' for her mouth, and I will tell m'lady how hard I am gonna fuck her." He gripped her thigh and put a finger to the area of which he was referring to. He stroked it once and it made Lilly shudder. "Does this please m'lady?"

Lilly's cheeks were flushing hot red when Arthur was done talking. She stared at him wide eyed. Holy shit, he was an animal. And she found that she loved it. Then a memory hit her mind, one that made her love and want him more than ever.

_Arthur, with his head between Lilly's legs, was licking and suckling on her womanhood while sliding two fingers in and out. Lilly's back was arched, her head was back, and her hands were enveloping Arthur's hair to help direct his mouth._

_"Oh God, Arthur, yer gonna make me come. Dunna stop," she begged with a strained whimper._

_"Tell me you love me, Lilly," he said, only stopping for a moment._

_"I love you."_

_"Na uh uh...in Gaeilge, mo grá. Tell me..." he licked again and it made Lilly's will crumble. "In Gaeilge."_

_"Tá mé i ngrá leat..."_ _[I am in love with you...]_

_"Again. Keep sayin' it until you come, Lilly._ _"_

_Lilly repeated it over and over as if it was a mantra. And when she came, her whole body spasmed and he moaned into her before crawling up and sliding himself into her. "Tá mé i ngrá leat, Lillian," he chuckled as he_ _thrusted in and out of her._ _[I am in love with you]_

_"Why do ya like it when I speak Gaeilge? Ya dunna even know what I'm sayin', Arthur."_

_"One day I will tell you I know it, and I will make you mine forever when I do."_

_"What do ya mean?"_

_"You'll know when I tell you, my dragon."_

Lilly blinked at him and took a quiet but deep and shuddering breath. "Cén fáth gur dragan mé?" _[Why was I a dragon?]_

"What?" Arthur laughed.

Lilly smirked and grasped his groin. It made Arthur groan out softly. "Tá a fhios agat cad a d'iarr mé, mo chuisle." _[You know what I asked, my pulse.]_

"Tá do chroí tine. Dónn do ghrá dom. Seasann mé sna lasracha go sona sásta," he said lovingly. _[Your heart is fire. Your love burns me. I stand in the flames happily]_

It was at that point in time Lilly realized she had to have him. She was going to pay for the drinks, drag him out back and have her way with him when she saw Uncle Levi walking up. She moved her hand away and cleared her throat. Arthur caught on and removed his hand from Lilly's thigh. "Uncle Levi, are ya havin' a good ole' time?" she asked innocently.

"I am." Levi sat beside Lilly. "So, I hear you are going to Ireland. What for?"

"Several reasons. One, a man stole my father's pocketwatch and I am going to retrieve it. Two, I am going to see the state of the old house and possibly sell it...if I even can. Three, I want to show Arthur my homeland."

Levi looked taken aback. "You want to sell Oak On the Hill? Why?"

"The gang and I want to stop being outlaws. We want a fresh start somewhere, and for that, we need money."

"You could ask me for help, you know."

Lilly pat his arm a few times. "I appreciate the gesture, but...well, I couldn't ask you that and we have many other members to bring with us. We're a large group and you've only met a very small percentage of the Van der Linde gang."

Leviticus smiled at her brightly. "You are so much like your father, you know. He treated all his tenants like family and they were always a high priority."

Lilly smiled back. "Thanks. But I do appreciate the offer, Uncle."

"Well, I can tell you myself the condition in which Oak On the Hill is in. I've been paying for its upkeep."

Lilly gaped at him. "You what? Why?!"

"Sentimental reasons. Couldn't let my old friend's legacy go to rot. So there are people living there, but they are mostly just staff. Save for one woman, a Breena Harington. She's been holding things together so that blasted Patrick Nolan can't get his grubby paws on it."

"Patrick's trying to get my estate?! On what grounds?"

"As part of your dowry."

Lilly slammed her fist on the counter. "Mother fucker!"

Levi laughed. "Couldn't have said it better myself. But here, could I at least help the trip go by nicely? I can get you on a much faster ship with better quarters."

Lilly sighed. "I do appreciate the offer, I do, but I wouldn't feel right about accepting-"

"Help? Lilly, you've _always_ been like that."

Arthur laughed. "I second that!"

"Shut up," she giggled with a nudge to Arthur's shoulder. "Alright, thank you, Uncle L...wait a minute..." she said and looked at Levi. "My dowry is the estate? How much is that worth?"

"Yes. The estate itself and the acreage is worth...hmm, let's see...it hasn't been appraised in about five years but it was about, oh...almost a million in US dollars."

All the blood rushed out of Lilly's head. "A...almost a...a million...dollars? My...oh my God. Arthur, I am not one to faint, but I think I might faint."

Levi poured her a shot of whiskey. "Here, drink this," he laughed heartily.

Lilly gulped the drink down. "Dutch! Hosea!"

The men got up and came over. "What's wrong?"

Lilly got up and grabbed Dutch's shirt collar. "My dowry, my family estate, is almost one million feckin' dollars..."

Dutch and Hosea began laughing. "We know. He told us already," Hosea said. He looked at his watch. "Hey, you folks got a train to catch."

Lilly sighed. The shock of how much money she was actually worth would have to wait until later. They all left for the train station. Karen and Sean had already brought the wagon. Uncle Levi said he'd make arrangements for the four of them, and Lilly's Da and Athair gave them the seventeen thousand dollars for their journey. After kisses and hugs were exchanged and the horses and luggage were loaded on the train, they all said their good byes and left on the automotive headed for New York City.

* * *

It was maybe half a day later on the train and Lilly was reading a book about Ireland. Much had happened since she left Ireland almost two decades ago. She was in one of the passenger seats when Karen came and sat down next to her. "Whatcha readin'?" she asked.

"Stuff about Ireland from the last two decades. I want to update my knowledge," Lilly explained.

"Ah." Karen took a gander. "What's black pudding?"

"Blood sausage."

"What's the difference between that and regular sausage?"

"Black pudding is boiled pig's blood."

"Gross!"

"Not that bad. I kinda miss it."

"Do you have haggis?"

"That's a Scottish dish," Lilly giggled.

"Ah."

Lilly looked at Karen. "Alright, what is it?"

Karen grinned. "Sean asked me to marry him."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "Really? Oh my God! What did you say?"

Karen held up her left hand. There was a gold band with a decent sized diamond on it. "What do you think?"

"Oh, that's a beauty, that is!" Lilly took her hand and examined the ring. "He musta been saving up!"

"Yep! Hey, what about your ring? I never got a look at it!"

Lilly looked at her own engagement ring. "Oh yeah. I forgot I even had this on."

Karen yanked on Lilly's hand. "Wow. Ain't no diamond but I love the idea! So original!" She studied Lilly. "Do you still love Arthur?"

Lilly shrugged. "I don't know. My memory is still pretty shot."

"Oh come on. I see the way you look at him. Clearly you do!"

Lilly chuckled in amusement. "If you're so convinced, then why ask me?"

"Wanted to hear what you had to say."

She rolled her blue eyes at the woman with the curly blonde hair. "As I said, I don't know. If I'm looking at him in any way, it's a look of curiousity."

"Why?"

Lilly frowned. "Arthur's a handsome guy and he can have any woman he wants. Why the hell does he want...someone like me?"

"Lilly, Arthur had two other women. Mary broke off the engagement, and Eliza..." Karen paused.

"Eliza? Who's Eliza?" Lilly asked.

Karen frowned. "Eliza was a waitress he had a child with. Isaac. Don't you remember?" Lilly shook her head. "Well, he'd go visit them every few months, stay a few days, give them money for support, and leave. One day when he came a-callin'...there were two gravestones. Eliza and Isaac got robbed and killed over a few bucks."

Lilly's heart became heavy and she sighed. "That's awful. He's never...oh." Lilly thought back to the day she asked Arthur to teach her to shoot. She'd said something about him having his own children walking around and it made Lilly feel like the most ghastly, most horrible person in the world. "Does he ever talk about it?"

"No. It's a very bad subject for him, much like your own past is a bad subject for you."

Lilly raised a brow. "My whole past? From before Arthur and I met? Why?"

Karen shrugged. "I don't know. No one knows much. All I know is that your whole family died and your brother got shot over a debt." Lilly blinked as yet another memory hit her.

_"Brian!" Lilly shouted. "Leave my brother alone!"_

_Brian getting kicked and punched in a dark alley way. A storm. Rain pouring down. One man aiming his gun and shooting Brian in the head. Little Lilly screaming_.

Lilly dropped her book. "I...I need to..." Lilly cleared her throat and picked up her book. "I think I need some fresh air." Just then the train wheels started squealing and the train came to a stop. "What the hell?" Lilly and Karen looked out the windows. "Shit. Fecking outlaws." Lilly was surprised at her own mouth. "Well, looks like we're getting robbed."

"Shit! Give me one of your guns!" Karen said. Lilly laughed and handed her a revolver.

"What's going on?" one of the other passengers asked. It was a balding man in a green suit.

"Criminals," Lilly said nonchalantly. "Outlaws. Probably want to rob us. Come on Karen, let's go deal with them."

"Two women on their own?" the man gasped. "Preposterous!"

Lilly and Karen laughed and a bandit came into their box car. Lilly and Karen shot him down, then Karen looked at the passenger with a smug expression. "You were sayin'?"

Lilly went running to the next box car. There were two men stealing money from people and Lilly quickly shot them down. "I think they're O'Driscolls, Karen! Where the hell are Sean and Arthur?"

"They were up further, I think!"

Lilly raced through to the next box car. Two criminals lay dead in the aisle. Gunshots were fired ahead of her and she kept running. Lilly was motivated, but fearful for both Arthur and Sean. The next box car wasn't a passenger one so she jumped up on top. She saw Arthur fighting four other men in hand to hand combat and he was holding his own. Lilly watched with a smile as he knocked one man out, shoved another off the train and gave the third a few punches and an uppercut into unconsciousness. The fourth went to run but Arthur tackled him and began beating him to a pulp. God, what a man Arthur was. Seeing him fight made her insides warm and her cheeks flush. With an amazed giggle, Lilly closed the distance as Arthur finished the guy off. He stood up and when he saw his wife ambling over, he smiled broadly.

"It was nice of you to show up, Lilly!" he laughed.

"Oh, you had it handled," she said while clearing her throat. "I felt like spectating."

Arthur seemed to notice the redness in her face because he grabbed her and pulled her in. "Do I detect some sexual tension?" he asked in a teasing voice.

"I have no idea what you are referring to, Mr. Morgan."

"Liar."

"Bithiúnach."

"Lovely round assed tart."

Lilly cackled at him. "Someone likes my arse, hmm?"

Arthur pinched her bottom and Lilly let out a hysterical giggle. "I _love_ your arse, Lillian. Sometimes I could just-"

"Are you two lovebirds done up there?!" Sean shouted. "We need to get the train movin'!"

Lilly waved at Sean. "Yeah yeah, as if ya couldna get it started yerself, ya feckin' buzzkilling vulture," Lilly snarled loudly.

Arthur cackled and walked with Lilly to the edge of the box car. They got the train back on its route and Lilly went back to reading her book. Arthur sat next to Lilly and put an arm around her shoulders as he bit into an apple. "Whatcha readin'?"

"Ireland history from the last twenty years."

"Catchin' up?"

"Mmhmm." Lilly looked at the apple and snatched it with her teeth.

"Hey!"

Lilly bit into it and handed it back to Arthur. "Thanks," she said while chewing. She grinned at him. "Sorry. I thought we did things like that."

Arthur laughed. "We do now." He took another bite of the apple. With a childish giggle, Lilly went back to reading. When she turned the page, her heart sank. The Emerald Star. It was in the book. "Maybe you should take a break from readin', mo grá."

"Yep." Lilly slammed the book shut. "Drink?"

"Yep."

Lilly and Arthur got up and went to the car with a bar. Lilly and Arthur ordered whiskey and began drinking heavily. They conversed about what Arthur knew of Lilly's past and she was able to recall most of it. The missing pieces, though, was everything before he met Lilly. She remembered very little of it, but Lilly now remembered her life. Her adoptive family. Her husband and their life together. Lilly pressed her chin into her palm and stared at Arthur happily with glazed eyes.

"You look drunk, babe."

"I am drunk, ya silly man. And..." Lilly giggled like an idiot. "I think ya wanted me drunk."

"Well, it's not that hard to get an Irish woman such as yourself drunk. You got whiskey in your veins anyway."

"Ya know somethin', Arthur? I, um...ya know I'm hammered, right? Was that yer idea? Gettin' me drunk and then..." Lilly made a motion with her hands. She slid a finger in and out of her fist.

Arthur leaned toward her and jerked his head to the side. "Yes, that was my plan the whole time. As if I needed to get my own wife drunk to have sex with her," he said with a wink and a smile.

Lilly leaned to him and smiled brightly. "I see. Well, ya sure as shite ain't havin' sex with her right now."

Arthur sighed and leaned back. "So hard to ple-"

"I mean why aren't ya havin' sex with your wife right now? What's stoppin' ya?" Lilly asked with a twinkle in her eye. "Ya think I dunna want tah get fecked by ya, Arthur? I damn well do. So..." Lilly got up and walked around him with her fingers walking along his shoulders. "Pay the man and meet me in the caboose." Lilly giggled and went stumbling to the floor.

* * *

Lilly woke up in one of the private cars with a huge hangover. The girl's head was banging harder than the drums of the ancients, and as she sat up, the drums got louder. Lilly held her forehead and growled. It was bright out. Too bright. Lilly kept her dark blue eyes closed tightly.

"Rough night, my wife?" she heard Arthur whisper next to her.

"I don't remember. Was it?"

"For you? Yes. Never thought I'd drink you under the table. Here. I brought you coffee."

Lilly reached out and felt nothing, but then Arthur touched her fingers and put the mug in her palm. Lilly coddled it like a wee bairn and blew on it before taking a sip. "Mmm, thank you."

"You're welcome."

After a good drink, Lilly opened her eyes so they could adjust to the light. Her nose caught a whiff of food and her stomach raged with hunger. "I'm starving."

Arthur chortled lightly. "I brought breakfast, too. Breakfast of champion drinkers, m'lady."

The word sent a shiver through her whole being. "I think you can reserve that name for special occasions. You ruined it for me," she said jokingly.

"Did I?" he said while handing her a plate of oatmeal. Lilly took another drink of coffee before handling the bowl. "Are these special occasions goin' to be in the bedroom?"

"...I haven't decided yet."

"Liar."

"Bithiúnach."

"You love it."

"Shut up." Lilly started eating and felt better immediately. The warmth of the coffee and oatmeal spread throughout her body and provided comfort from the headache she was suffering from, and soon it went from pounding drums to a dull ache. "Thank you for bringing me sustenance, my husband."

Lilly felt lips on her neck and the pain in her head automatically flew away. "Lillian. Do you remember anythin' from last night?"

"Not really." Lilly's eyes went wide. "Did we have sex?"

"I wish," he groaned as he nibbled on her shoulder. "You wanted to but then you passed out."

"...Oh." Lilly shut her eyes and took in a heavy breath. "Would you have?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Guess we'll never know."

That was unfortunate. Lilly knew she wanted her husband, but there was a part of her that felt it was paramount to reject Arthur. "Arthur, I...I know we've been flirting, but...I..."

"Say no more." Arthur got off the bed and put on his tan jacket and hat. "I waited four years. What's another four years?" he said almost bitterly as he left the room and shut the door.

Lilly scowled. That was it. She jumped out of bed and jerked the door open. "Arthur!"

He stopped walking and turned around. "What is it, Countess?" he spat.

Lilly narrowed her eyes. "Yer bein' an arsehole again! Why? Just because I wilna have sex with ya?"

"Yes! You're my wife and we're supposed to be happy! We're supposed to be-"

"Well, excuse me fer not rememberin' most of me own life! Or me life with you, ya god damn pig!"

"You need to stop sayin' that!"

Lilly stormed over to him. "It's not a god damn excuse! I'm not happy about it either, Mr. Morgan, but ya canna expect me tah give intah me baser needs just because yer tryin' tah pressure me intah it!"

"I'm not pressurin' you!"

"Well it feels like it!"

"Well, my wife wouldn't feel pressured! No one could make her do somethin' she didn't want to do!"

"See?" Lilly threw up her hands. "That's the fucking problem. Ya keep insisting I'm yer wife and then ya turn around and tell me I'm not yer wife! So stop fucking with me head and heart, ya stupid, unfeeling bastard! Comparing me tah yer perfect warrior wife hurts me more than ys will ever know! And that's all ya been doin' since I came back from the grave! 'my wife' this and 'my wife' that...I canna live up tah yer expectations of someone who isna alive anymore!" Lilly stormed back to the private room, slammed the door, and locked it.

She heard Arthur knocking. "Lilly! Open the door!"

"Go away!"

"No! We are goin' to talk about this! Don't make me break down this door!"

"Ha! As if ya could!" The door flew open from Arthur kicking it open and Lilly backed up. "Get out!"

Arthur slammed the door shut and got in Lilly's face. "You want to know what's been hurtin' me, Lillian? Havin' my wife die before my very eyes because I wasn't there to protect her. Blamin' myself for it, then havin' her brought back to me not knowin' who her husband is? It's the cruelest joke anyone could play on a grievin' widower! And I see you in there sometimes, but you never see me! Talk about playin' with someone's head and heart! And you're not even doin' it on purpose! That's the worst of it! I can't help you remember who you are and I should be able to do that but I'm...I'm..." Arthur bowed his head. "I failed you in that regard too. I have failed you. That is what hurts the most."

Lilly blinked. She'd thought about how hard it was for Arthur, but she didn't know the extent of his grief. Then she thought about what Karen said earlier. About Eliza and Isaac. Lilly sighed and lifted his chin. Seeing the sadness in his eyes almost brought her to tears. "You didn't fail me, Arthur. And you didn't fail E..." Lilly backed up and fidgeted with her hands while looking down at them. "You didn't fail Eliza and Isaac, either."

Lilly didn't dare look at him. She could feel the anger coming off him just from mentioning his dead family. "You...why would you bring them up, Lillian?"

"...I only meant...their deaths weren't your fault and neither was mine. And you should believe me. I have first hand experience in that regard."

Arthur raised her chin. "You mean Brian? You blame yourself for his death?"

"I did for a very long time. It wasn't just a debt, Arthur. It was my debt; it was punishment for my disobedience."

Out of any expression Arthur could show, surprise was the one he had on his face. "Christ, Lilly..."

"Don't ask me what I did. I don't remember what. I only remember P-"

"Hey guys? What happened to the door?" Sean asked behind them.

"Door broke," Arthur responded without taking his eyes off Lilly. "You need somethin', Sean?"

Lilly spotted Karen behind Arthur as well. "They're gonna stop at a station soon. The horses should be walked for a bit," Sean replied cautiously.

Lilly walked by all of them in a hurry. "I'll walk Doc. Karen, you can walk Liath."

Karen went running after Lilly. "Lilly, what happened?"

* * *

Arthur bowed his head. "Sean, you need to tell me about Lilly."

Sean tilted his head. "What do you need to know?"

"Everythin' you know about Papa and Saint Denis. About this...Siren business in New York City. Everythin' I don't know."

"Arthur, it's not my place to-"

"I can't keep walkin' on minefields with her. It's been happenin' too often lately. Please tell me what you know." Arthur was desperate. He hated hurting Lilly and he was tired of doing it. At least he could know what not to mention.

Sean sighed. "Fair enough. We'll take Ennis and Rose separately. I'll tell you everythin' I know, but you cannot let Lilly know I told you."

"I won't."

"Okay." Sean put a hand on his shoulder. "So, let's start with The Siren of New York."


	21. Across the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for mature content.

The rest of the train ride to New York City was uneventful. Lilly and Arthur did not speak much to one another during that time. Occasionally the train would stop to let passengers on, to switch conductors, and for people to get out and stretch their legs, so to speak. When Lilly stepped off the train at Grand Central Station, memories of her time here flooded her mind. Not a lot of them were happy ones, so she decided not to dwell on them. Doc and Liath were taken from the train first, then Rose and Ennis. Lilly decided to let Karen ride Liath around since her iron gray Ardennes was the less tempermental one.

Her wolves, however, were not taking the big city too well. Luckily, Hosea had given her herbs to help keep Brian and James calm and sleepy in a big cage. And luckily, Lilly would not be separated from her wolves during the trip either, despite the reactions of some of the passengers heading toward the ship. It was called the S.S. Pearly Gates. It was not a very good name, Lilly though, until she actually saw the ship. It was beautiful and had a pearl like gloss over part of it to help give merit to its name. As they were being boarded, Lilly had to pause and take some deep breaths. She was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Lilly, what's wrong?" Sean asked. "Is it because it's, you know...a ship?"

Lilly nodded. "I don't think I can do it, deartháir. I don't think I can get on that thing."

"Is this about the ship or goin' back to Ireland, deirfiúr?"

"Both."

"Arthur!" Sean yelled.

"No, do not call for him!" Lilly demanded. "We're not talking just now."

Arthur was watching the wolves get loaded when he spotted the two Irish folks. "Yeah?"

"Lilly's havin' an issue."

Arthur came over but Lilly backed away from him. "Lilly, what is it?"

"She's panicking about the ship and goin' home."

Arthur frowned. "Lillian, everythin' will be fine. I understand why you're nervous, but..." Arthur approached and raised her face to meet his eyes. "Nothin' bad will happen to you while I'm around, okay?"

Lilly wanted to believe him, but she couldn't. "Don't make me get on that thing, please."

"Mr. and Mrs. Morgan?" someone said. "I'm with Mr. Cornwall." It was a man in a black suit, a grey vest, and a black top hat. "I'm here to help make arrangements for your trip."

Lilly stared at the man. "I, um...I..."

"Sean, Karen, try to get Lilly to relax," Arthur said. "I'm gonna try to go find somethin' to calm her down. Her chamomile tea is all packed away."

"Oh, Mr. Cornwall thought this might happen." The man pulled out a purple velvet bag and handed it to Arthur. "He mentioned she is prone to night terrors?"

Lilly blinked. "Oh...right, yes. He would know that."

Arthur looked at Lilly. "You had night terrors _before_ you came here?"

"Yes."

"Ah, shit." Arthur looked back to the man. "What is this?"

"Just some herbs to help keep her calm. She can ingest it or smoke it. Be careful not to give her too much, though. It's quite potent, as is the smell. Oh, and...well, I have a signed prescription for it here. It's very strong stuff."

Arthur opened the bag and smelled it. "Jesus Christ, it smells like a skunk!"

"It's supposed to. The smellier, the better. Does she have rolling papers or a pipe?"

"Rolling papers, but does this stuff have side effects?"

"Yes, but it varies with people. She may get very hungry. Happy and sleepy, too. Mr. Cornwall calls it The Seven Dwarves herb."

"Ha! She gonna get bashful, grumpy and dopey too?" Arthur laughed.

"She might. Like I said, the effects vary with people, but feel free to have some yourself."

"I probably won't, but thank you, sir. Please give my thanks to Mr. Cornwall when you see him."

"Of course. Now, all the arrangements have been made. You two are getting actual apartments on the ship."

"...Apartments?" Lilly asked. "You mean...actual living quarters?"

"Top class, Mrs. Morgan. Mr. Cornwall insisted you all get the best. Oh, and your wolves will be allowed to accompany you. I hear they are quite well behaved?"

"Not so much on the train, but I think they don't like enclosed spaces. On a ship though, they'll be...oh, Arthur, I don't think I can do this. What if the ship sinks?! I can't go through that again!"

Arthur pulled out rolling papers and gave Sean the bag. "Roll one up and make her smoke it."

Sean laughed. "I know what this is. Hahaha! Mr. Cornwall, ya silly man!" Sean did as he was told and started preparing a cigarette for Lilly.

"What is that stuff?" Lilly asked. "It smells awful."

"It's cannabis, Lilly. Ya never heard of it?"

"No," she said.

"I have! This Cornwall guy knows how to party!" Karen said with a laugh.

"Sean, Karen, it's a perscription for her. Don't you go smokin' all of it now, it's for her god damn nerves!" Arthur snapped.

Sean rolled his eyes. "Fine, Englishman. Jesus..." Sean finished and handed the cigarette to Lilly. "There you go."

Lilly lit the weird tobacco and smoked it. One puff and she began coughing like crazy. But one puff was all it took and she was immediately calmer...and extremely giddy. "Woa...um, I feel _a lot_ better now." Lilly took another puff. "Oh God, I better put this out. If I have anym-oh boy."

Arthur came up and stashed it in the bag after putting it out. "Feel better?"

Lilly smiled up at Arthur and giggled happily. "Yyyyeeeppah!" she said with a lip pop. "Sooooo much better."

Sean and Karen snorted into laughter. Arthur sighed. "Great. My wife is on drugs now. That's just great."

Lilly got close to Arthur and whispered in his ear. "I bet if you have some and we fuck, it'll feel fucking fabulous."

Arthur chortled and held her close. "Alright, we are puttin' you to bed as soon as we get settled in."

"But I dunna wanna! Now give me a piggy back ride!"

Arthur refused. They eventually got the giggling girl on board and when they got into their quarters, Lilly stared around at the extravagance of the place. Cream and white colored columns, angelic faces, a ceiling with paintings of heaven's depiction, ornate colored carpeting of swirls and repeated patterns, expensive looking furniture...it wasn't just an apartment, it was heaven!

"Holy shit!" Lilly kicked off her black boots, ran to the king sized bed with white and beige sheets and an intricately carved wooden bed frame and began jumping up and down on it. "This is going to be a fantastic vacation!"

Karen ran over, kicked off her boots, and jumped on the bed with her with a laugh. "No kiddin'!"

"Um, madams?" Cornwall's man said. "Please no jumping on the bed," he chuckled.

Lilly and Karen giggled and got off. Both the girls ran to the windows and pointed at the pier. "Look at that!" Lilly giggled happily. "It's amazing!"

"Mr. MacGuire, Miss Jones, your room is across the hall here. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. Mr. Cornwall left you some special items in the closet." He had a piece of paper. Karen and Sean went to their room while Lilly grabbed the paper. The man said his farewells and the boys started barking. Arthur let them out of the kennel and Lilly read the letter.

_D_ _ear Lilly,_

_I had these delivered from your estate. They were your mothers and I had the height adjusted on them, but there is a tailor on board that can make other corrections if they don't fit. I also have suits from your father to give to Arthur. Luckily, him and your father are similar in size, from the look of Arthur._

_Yours Truly_ ,

_Uncle Levi_

Lilly ran to the closet and opened the doors. Her mother's dresses and her father's best suits. "Wow! Arthur! C'mere!" Arthur chuckled as he went to her but his eyes got wide when he saw the suits. "My father and mother's clothes! He had them put here! I wonder how long he's had them..."

"They've been aired out at least. And your father had..." Arthur stopped and smiled. "Lilly? Do you think you could...put one on? Right now?"

"I'm not sure it'll fit, but...go get Karen. I'll need help with a corset." Lilly cocked her head when Arthur swallowed. "You okay?"

"Yep!" Arthur power walked to the door and opened it. "Karen! Sean! Get over here right now!"

* * *

Arthur watched Sean open his door. "What's wrong?"

Arthur looked at Lilly with a smile before walking out and shutting the door. "Her Uncle Levi put her mom's dresses and her father's suits in the closet."

Karen came bounding up next to Sean. "You serious?! You want her in a dress right now, don't you?"

"Yes!" An excited voice came spilling out of Arthur.

Karen rushed past Arthur into the next room. "Do ya got corsets in there?!"

* * *

"I think this one fits you perfectly, Lilly,' Karen said as she helped her in it. "Arthur is goin' to lose it!" Karen laughed.

"Because I never wear dresses?" Lilly asked in a confused tone. "I can't believe my mother's clothes fit me. Uncle Levi had them fixed for my height, but..."

"It's hard to imagine any woman havin' your body type? You do have an athletic lookin' body. Athletic but shapely. You're a fuckin' Amazonian, girl!"

"Ha! Okay, sure!"

"Well, you're tall! What are you, five foot ten?"

"I don't remember. Oh, no. Five foot nine."

Karen was shorter for sure. About five foot four. Karen fluffed the skirt and laughed. "This is a very fine dress."

The gown, a dark sapphire blue that really matched her eyes, had little horizontal ruffles in the skirt. The edge of the skirt, which just about touched the floor, were embellished with tiny rhinestones in almost a snowflake like pattern. The sleeves went down to her wrists, also having the same rhinestone pattern at the wrists. Her shoulders, bosom, her collar, waist, and stomach were patterned and dotted with small rhinestones. The collar went just below the base of her neck and made a little v-shape at her throat. The skirt was made of tulle, and the top was made of charmuese. The skirt was A-line styled. She turned a little and saw she had a dark navy blue train made of satin attached to her shoulders.

Lilly stared at herself in the mirror. "Oh my God, I look so pretty!"

Karen laughed and opened the door. "You ready, boys?"

"Yes!" both the men shouted excitedly.

Lilly walked out slowly with a blush on her cheeks. Her eyes were looking at the bottom of her dress because she felt nervous. "How do I look?" she asked quietly. She dared a glance at both the men and gulped when she saw Arthur in one of her father's suits.

It was dark gray with a dark blue vest and a dark blue puff tie. The shirt underneath was white and and his shoes were shiny, black, and pointed. Lilly had no shoes on. Arthur's face, though, was clean shaven and his hair was slicked back. He was the epitome of a high born Adonis and Lilly's jaw dropped. His expression was similar, but his eyes said only one thing.

"Karen, Sean, could you excuse us for a bit?" Arthur asked huskily. "I need to, uh," he cleared his throat and tugged on his shirt collar. Oh boy. Lilly knew what was coming, but would she reject Arthur? Could she? He was ogling her and she didn't know how to feel about it. "I need to speak with my wife. Alone. Oh, and...take Brian and James with you, please. They'll just get in the way."

Lilly's face turned white. Karen and Sean scurried out quickly with giggles and knowing looks and Arthur slowly shut the door behind the couple and the pups. As Arthur locked the door, his head turned toward her and he flashed his white teeth as if he were a tiger about to attack. He stood up straight yet Lilly didn't just see a man. She saw a man who hadn't been sexually relieved in a while.

"W-What are you doing, Arthur?" The question stuttered out of Lilly and she chastised herself for it.

Arthur made a deep but short maniacal laugh. With a leer of his bright blue eyes that were almost animated, Arthur took slow, calculated steps in her direction. "What am I doin'? I'm doin' somethin' that I am not waitin' another four years to do."

Lilly wanted to move but the intensity of his gaze petrified her. Not in a bad way, but more like she was...prey. Arthur was the predator and now that Lilly was fully aware of that fact, she began to recall her life. She grasped all the memories that came flooding back to her and examined each one briefly. Funny how just one look could cure her amnesia. The old Lilly was back, and yet she was still new. And for once, she did not mind giving up the advantage of the moment. However, Lilly's lip turned up and her teeth barely showed through the smirk. "Would ya care tah elaborate on that, Mr. Morgan? I think I should know _exactly_ what yer about tah ask...and what yer thinkin' of doin' tah me."

Arthur stopped walking. He knew what just occurred and he smiled brightly. "Has my wife come back to me? My whole wife?"

"I'm not sure," she teased knowingly. "Perhaps ya should come and see fer yerself."

Lilly noticed Arthur's body tremble for but a moment. "Lillian..." he said before drawing closer. "What is your skillset?"

"Pickpocket. Expert climber. Knife wielder. Stealth. Building jumper. Hunter. Shouter. Outlaw. Gunslinger. Melee fighter. Negotiator." Lilly brought a foot forward and raised her skirt up to expose her thigh. "Seductress." Lilly was surprised that she didn't mind being in a dress. She loved his reaction to it. "Do ya have another question, mo fhear céile?" she asked as the skirt was released.

Arthur's expression softened to one of gladness. "Do you know what I'm goin' to ask? The phrasing?"

"To fuck me intah oblivion, is the phrase I believe we agreed upon. Are ya goin' tah continue yer investigation or am I gonna hafta lose me patience and turn the tables on ya?" Lilly chuckled as she closed in on him. "I am waitin', mo chuisle."

Arthur resumed his previous advancement with a sexual leer. "Just one more question, mo stóirín." He closed the gap between them. "Do I have permission to fuck you into oblivion?" he asked gruffly.

"Oh, Mr. Morgan, ya should know better than tah ask me that," she said with a smiled. "Mo Fear Álainn would never hafta ask permission since ya already fucked me intah oblivion on more than one occasion."

That was all he needed to know. Arthur and Lilly's mouths crashed together and they nibbled on the other's lips. Lilly held him to her bosom and moaned into his mouth. Arthur breathed through his nose and as his arms embraced his newly restored wife, he grasped her hair. "Wall or bed?" he whispered against her mouth.

"Again, do ya hafta ask?" she giggled. He pushed her to the wall and kissed her again as he undid the buttoning on his pants. Lilly took off Arthur's suit jacket and puff tie before unbuttoning his collar. She adjusted his collar to stand upright. "I like this look on ya," she purred.

Arthur raised Lilly's skirt up, found she had no drawers on, lifted her up by her legs, rammed himself into Lilly, and let a loud groan escape him. Lilly moaned from the feeling of her husband being inside her and the vaginal walls clenched around him in response. Lilly missed this. She enfolded her legs and arms around him and Arthur thrust into her with vehement strokes.

"Fuck, you feel so good, Lillian. I've missed you so much," he moaned into her ear with a soft and low voice. "You're so god damn beautiful, I could fuck you all day."

"Mmm, then fuck me all day, Mo Fear Álainn. Dunna stop for anythin'!" This statement made his strokes go deeper and she moaned loudly in pleasure from every physical and emotional feeling he gave her. It was intense and all the sexual tension that had built between them amplified the pleasure. She was so glad the handfasted marriage hadn't been annulled and Lilly knew she was going to give up her estate and her title for the gang and for him.

"An bhfuil muid fós pósta, mo bhean chéile?" he asked. _[Are we still married, my wife?]_

"Yes! Tá mé i ngrá leat, mo fhear céile. Tabhair do ghrá go léir dom. Chaill mé an geall. Tá tú anois agus go deo liom, mo chuisle!" _[I am in love with you, my husband. Give all your love to me. I lost the bet. You have all of me now and forever, my pulse! "]_

Arthur pumped harder and growled into her neck. "You have all of me, mo grá. Now and forever."

"Talk in Gaeilge, my love. It makes me so wet when you do."

Arthur chuckled deeply as he nibbled her ear. "Tá tú fliuch cheana féin. Mar sin, mar sin, maaaaar siiiiin fliuch. Conas a d'fhéadfá a bheith níos fliche?" _[You are already wet. So so, sooooo wet. How could you be wetter?_

"Talk more like that and yer gonna have me gushin' all over ya." Lilly grabbed his buttocks and helped him push into her faster and deeper. "It'll stain yer pants, though. People will ask questions."

"Ní féidir liom aire a thabhairt! _[_ _I can't care!]_ Not one fuckin' bit, Lillian!" he snapped as he pushed against her more. "Labhair i nGaeilge nó stoptar suas!" _[Speak in Irish or shut up!]_

He shifted his weight and pumped up into her over and over and made her yelp again and again. While the sex was heavily filled with lust, Lilly still felt connected to Arthur in more ways than one. Her body jerked up in rhythm to his pounding. He increased the pace but Lilly needed more from him. She needed all of him. Lilly kissed him hungrily.

"Níos mó. Tabhair dom níos mó, le do thoil," she whispered huskily against his mouth. _[More. Please give me more, please.]_

"Is breá liom é nuair a phléadálann tú." _[_ _I love it when you plead.]_ He thrust in Lilly almost furiously while kissing her once again and Lilly felt her muscles twitch. "Tá tú gar, tá tú chomh gar. Braithim é. Tar, mo puisín beag," _[You are close, you are so close. I feel it. Come, my little pussy.]_ Arthur grunted. His sounds of pleasure were becoming more frequent and intense. "Táim chun teacht freisin. Tar liom." _[I'm going to come too. Come with me.]_

Lilly moaned out loudly. "Then ya hafta slow down! Ugh, ugh, Arthur, I'm...oh feck, no, dunna slow down! Dunna stop!"

Arthur did slow down to a very leisurely pace. "No. Come with me, Lilly."

Lilly giggled sensually and grabbed his head to look at him. "Yeah?"

Arthur kissed her briefly. "Yeah," he said breathlessly.

Both of them were breathing raggedly and Lilly could feel his heart pounding against her chest. The beats were in unison. "Braithim do chroí. Do chuisle. Tá sé liomsa." _[I feel your heart. Your pulse. It's with me.]_

Arthur and Lilly kissed hard and he increased the speed of his lovemaking. The muscles inside Lilly's womanhood made small convulsions and Arthur pumped slowly but hard. He pressed his hands into her waist to stabilize her body and when his thrusts surged in speed, Lilly put her mouth on his and pulled him close to her body. "An dtiocfaidh tú liom?"he asked her. _[Will you come with me?]_

"Yeah, táim díreach ar tí dul!" _[Yeah, I'm just about to go!]_

Lilly kissed him hard as her hips fought against his own and as the sensation peaked over the horizon and hit her, Arthur groaned into her mouth loudly while her muscles throbbed. Lilly almost screamed and Arthur's body trembled against her. Lilly felt hot and sweaty in the heavy garment but she didn't care. Her chest lifted and dropped quickly and heaved up harshly against Arthur's chest. He buried his face into her neck and brushed his soft lips along her jugular. Suddenly he started laughing and kept pecking her throat.

"An bhfuil tú sásta, an tUasal Morgan?" _[Are you happy, Mr. Morgan?]_

"Is mise, Bhean Morgan. Is mise." _[I am, Mrs. Morgan. I am.]_ Arthur put her down and held the nape of her neck as he kissed her. "I have missed you, mo stoirín."

"And I you, mo chuisle." Lilly turned around and pulled her hair off her back. "Undress me. I am sweatin' like a wee piggy in this getup."

"I could just open the windows so you stop sweatin' like," Arthur began unlacing her dress. "a "wee piggy"," he emphasized in a semi decent Irish accent.

"Oh, laddie, ya shame the accent of me people," she teased. She actually liked him talking like that.

Arthur unlaced the rest and pulled the dress down. He held her to his chest and nuzzled her neck. "Oh, do I now?" he continued. "I shouldna think it, lovely wee wife of mine. I think ya like it."

"No I dunna like it," she said with a laugh.

"Liar."

"Bithiúnach."

"Does this mean yer done with me, lassie?"

"No. Why do ya think I want the windows closed and I want outta this thing? I think we planned tah fuck all day, did we not?"

"...Would ya keep the corset on, me love? I want tah have me way with ya in it."

Lilly and Arthur spent the rest of the day reuniting with love making, chatting, and dozing off together. During one of the sleeping parts, Lilly woke to find her husband on his back in a deep sleep. It was in the evening now and she laughed to herself. They'd literally been having sex all day. Lilly got up and dressed into her personalized gunslinger outfit, brushed her hair, and gave Arthur a sweet little kiss on the mouth.

"I love you."

"Mmm...love you, Lilly," Arthur said before rolling over.

Lilly chuckled happily. She was glad to be back. Lilly grabbed her key and left the room. As she locked it, Sean and Karen came out looking very disheveled. "Well, you two look like you've been busy." Brian and James came bounding out to greet Lilly. "I can take the boys now if you wanna finish up." Lilly scratched the wolves behind their ears.

"Well thank you, Lilly. Did you and Arthur make up, then?" Sean asked mockingly.

Lilly smiled at Sean. "Yep. I think about six times today."

"Six times?!"

"Yes." Lilly stood up with grin. "It took hours to wear him out. The man has an insatiable appetite."

Karen and Sean stared at her slack jawed. Lilly giggled, clicked her tongue, and walked down the hallway with her pups. They seemed anxious to get outside. Lilly ambled through the ship taking in the spectacular decadence of nineteenth century style. It was beautiful. Some people looked at her like she was either a horrible lecher or an exotic creature but she paid them no mind. A woman not in a dress was a sight to behold and she was used to it by now. The girl found her way to the deck and shut her eyes as she took in the salty sea air. They were well on their way to Ireland by now.

Lilly rolled her sleeves down and buttoned her collar up. She should have grabbed a jacket. She took out a cigarette and lit it up before walking down the ship to the dog waste area.

The wolves did their business and a staff member in a white worker suit was about to scrape it off but Lilly insisted she could manage. The man opened the railing door for her and she pushed the fecal matter out.

"Now that's a sorry sight tah witness," a man with an Irish accent said behind her.

"What's that, sir?" Lilly asked. "A woman shovelin' shite off a ship?"

"Oh, that's a tongue twister, fer sure. But why shovel shite off a ship when ya got others tah do it for ya?"

Lilly handed the brush back to the staff member. "I don't mind menial labor, sir. I've shoveled worse. Horse manure is a lot smellier and heavier tah handle." Lilly took out another cigarette and tried to light it but the wind wouldn't let her. "Balls." The man held out a match and lit it for her. "Mmm, thank ya."

"My pleasure."

Lilly looked at the man. Yeah, he was a rich man. Dressed to the nines in a black whittemore suit with a gold pocketwatch hanging from his vest. No hat, though. He had black hair slicked back, stunning green eyes, and a well groomed beard that didn't look more than a week old. He looked to be in his very early thirties, had a masculine build, and stood at six foot three. "So," Lilly sighed with a puff of her cigarette. "What brings ya tah the decks of The Pearly Gates?"

"Just out and about. How about you?"

"Had to let me wolves out tah relieve themselves." Lilly was wondering why her accent was a lot thicker right now.

"Wolves, huh?" The man glimpsed at the pair of animals with an intrigued gleam in his green eyes. "Ya got names fer 'em?"

"Brian and James."

Brian whined and sniffed the dark haired man's hand. "Huh, this one is friendly."

Lilly raised a brow. "Usually they don't like strangers. Ya must be a nice man."

"Oh, that I am, lass," he said with a smile. "So, yer from the Connacht region, aye?"

"Yes. I suspect ya must be as well," Lilly said and offered him the cigarette. "Care fer some, sir?"

"Thank you." The man took the cigarette but glimpsed the ring on her finger. "Oh, married, are ya?"

"Handfasted, but yes. Plan on havin' a real weddin' once we get back."

"Back? Yer not stayin' in Ireland?"

"No. Just there fer a visit. Some business I need tah get settled. Then Arthur and I will be headin' back here and, well, the rest is history."

The man sighed. "Well, that puts a dimper in me plans," he said while handing her back the cigarette.

Lilly raised a confused brow at him. "Your plans?"

The man laughed. "Well, I suspect ya wouldna remember me, Lillian, but-"

Lilly laughed. "Patrick god damn Nolan. Shoulda known." Lilly stopped for a minute. She remembered who worked for Patrick and growled. "Is Mr. Pierce with ya?!"

"No, he had to rush home with his cousin. Didna say why, but I figured ya had somethin' tah do with it," he laughed. "Ya always were a scary lass."

Lilly narrowed his eyes. "Did he not mention me at all?"

"Oh he did. Somethin' about you bein' barren. Which is unfortunate, but, well, I did promise me father tah-"

Lilly shoved Patrick. Gently as to not rouse suspicion of her superhuman strength, but Lilly was angry and the fire of that anger burned in her eyes. "Do ya even know what yer god damn man servant did, Patrick?! He tried tah fuckin' kill me!"

Patrick took a step forward. "He what? Why?"

"I havena feckin' clue, Patrick Nolan, but if I find out ya had somethin' tah do with it, I'll beat the livin' shite outta ya and feed ya tah me wolves!" Brian and James barked at him.

Patrick gaped at her. "I swear, Lilly, I had nothin' tah do with it. What did he do?" Patrick approached her. "What did Mr. Pierce do tah ya?"

Lilly scowled, grabbed Patrick by the arm, and dragged him further up the deck away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. "Let me guess. His cousin is named Brutus."

"Yes," Patrick said with a tone of suspicion. "Lilly, what did he do?"

"He flogged me. He had Brutus flog me! I havena clue as tah why, but he flogged me! Then he-" Lilly stopped. She was not going to mention the rest. "He had Brutus flog me and they left me fer dead."

"You were flogged?! He..." Patrick turned around and stomped a foot. "Why in the hell would he do such a thing?!"

Lilly sighed. Patrick seemed genuinely upset. "As I said, I havena clue, but he stole me family watch and I need tah get it back."

Patrick turned swiftly on his heel and approached her. "Ya let him take yer father's watch?!"

Lilly scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was tied up and practically bleedin' tah death when he took it! What was I tah do?"

"Use yer shout, ya eejit!"

"I was barely able tah speak, let alone shout after what they did!"

"Oh come on, a simple whippin' wouldna subdued ya, Lilly!" Patrick laughed.

Lilly froze. "Patrick...what kinda whip do ya think they used on me?"

"I don't know. How many types are there?"

Lilly scowled and turned around. "Lift me shirt, Patrick."

"What?" he laughed. "Why?"

"Just do it, ya eejit!"

Patrick chuckled and pulled up the cloth. Lilly felt his mood shift when her bare skin was exposed to the wind. "...In ainm Chroim. What the feck did they use, Lilly?" _[Oh my God.]_

"Cat o' nine tails," Lilly heard Arthur say.

Lilly shoved her shirt down and both her and Patrick turned around. "Hello, love," she said. "Ya have met Patrick, havena ya?"

Arthur nodded with a lit cigarette in his mouth. "Mmhmm. Many years ago, wasn't it, Sir Patrick?"

"Mr. Morgan. You...you've had me betrothed this whole time?"

Arthur laughed while taking the cigarette out. "Had? Not as my hostage, as my charge. Now I have her as my wife."

"Yer charge? She got tortured! Was she yer charge then?"

"Hey, she was out doin' her own thing. Shit happens." Lilly raised a brow at Arthur's cool exterior. He was handling himself well. Lilly walked to Arthur and grabbed the cigarette from him. Apparently her previous one went flying somewhere. "Hey, get your own!" Arthur laughed.

"I had me own!" Lilly smoked from Arthur's cigarette. "I havena clue where it went!"

"I have it!" Patrick snapped and took a drag from it. "How can ya laugh at her pain, sir? And...Lillian, when did this happen?"

"About, oh, maybe a couple of weeks ago, maybe three?" Lilly guessed. It was hard to remember because her concept of time had been off as of late.

"How did ya heal so fast?"

"I heal fast," she said with a shrug. "Anyway," Lilly handed Arthur back his cig and got the one from Patrick. "Ya got a mind tah take me from me husband still?"

"Well, yes! You and I were arranged!" Patrick yelled

"But I'm already married!" Lilly laughed as she took a drag.

"Handfasting is not a legally binding marriage!"

"It is tah me and we're gettin' legally married once we get back tah America!" she shouted.

"Yer marriage is null and void by royal decree, Lillian!"

"But I'm infertile! Ya canna marry me if I canna provide an heir!"

"I don't care! We're still betrothed!"

"That's just too god damn bad, Patrick, because I marry fer love, not fer obligation!"

"Well I hafta marry ya! I promised me father!"

"Yes and Sir Liam was a fine man and I'm sorry fer yer loss but I didna make any such promise! Shite happens!"

"Bullshite, Lillian Rose! I am yer betrothed and ya will do what I tell ya and that's the end of it, ya brat!"

Arthur burst into hysterics. "Yes, good luck with that."

"With what, sir?" Patrick asked angrily.

Arthur puffed on his cigarette. "Gettin' her to do what you tell her. You got about as good a chance as pushin' a bull off a mountain edge. It ain't gonna happen."

"Oh aye? She's worse than a bull now? Back when I knew her, she was just a stubborn jackass!"

"Arsehole!" Lilly yelled at Patrick.

"Little triflin' pile of manure!" Pattrick yelled back.

"Snot nosed imbecile!"

"Stupid lout!"

"Hey!" Arthur shouted. "That's enough! You're not havin' my wife, pal!"

"I have a royal decree that says I will be having her!"

Arthur stood in front of the man. "I don't care about some royal decree. I don't care if Queen Victoria comes walking out right now and orders you to marry my wife! You'd both have to go through me first!"

Patrick sighed and took off his suit jacket. "Then I will go through you." He set his jacket on the ground.

Arthur laughed. "Really. Okay." Arthur removed his tan jacket and tossed it to the deck floor.

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "Are ya two about tah fight over me!?"

"Yes," both of the men replied dryly.

Lilly shut her eyes and rubbed her face. This was ridiculous. "Because me word doesn't mean diddly squat, Patrick?"

"In this instance? No," Patrick replied.

"Okay. Your funeral."

She watched as the men started going at each other and throwing punches. Lilly sighed and sat down on a bench. She lit a new cigarette and puffed on it while gazing at the two. So far, it was a tie. Sean and Karen came walking up and stared at the spectacle. "Do I even want to know what is going on?"

Lilly grinned at Sean. "Long story short? That man and I had an arranged marriage and they are now fightin' over me hand."

Sean giggled. "You're popular, ain't ya?"

"Ya dunno the half of it, Sean."

"What's the other half?" Karen asked in an amused tone.

Lilly sighed and took another drag. "Sit and I will tell you."


	22. The Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for mature content.

After explaining everything Karen and Sean were not up to date on, Sean started laughing. He thought all of it was hilarious. Three different men were willing to pay significant sums of money for Lilly's capture, her estate was worth about a million dollars, and a man from her past was fighting Lilly's husband for the right to claim her. Lilly, however, was not exactly amused.

"I fail to see the humor in any of this, Sean," Lilly stated.

"That's because you're missin' out," Sean said with a giggle as he pointed to the fighting men. Lilly looked over. It was still a tie. Both men were looking bruised and a bit bloody. "Yer man is doin' well, at least. How old is that Patrick fella?"

"Thirty two."

"Ha! He's got two inches on Arthur, too. And maybe about a few stones above him as well."

"Well, any man who can't take no for an answer can't be that good."

"Why can't you just end the fight, Lilly?" Karen asked in a confused tone.

"Testosterone," Sean said casually.

"Hey!" Lilly shouted. "Can ya knock that shite off now?! I wanna go drinkin'!"

"No!" Arthur and Patrick shouted together.

With a growl of irritation from Lilly, she stood and ambled in the direction of the quarreling pair. "Arthur!"

"What?" he snapped as he punched Patrick in the jaw who almost fell over from the force of it.

"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU!"

Patrick stopped in his tracks but Arthur punched him again and he went over. Patrick got up as Lilly stepped in front of Arthur. The younger man and cracked his neck. "Ow...how come he kept going?!"

"He's immune to the damn thing!" Lilly snarled at Patrick.

"That's cheating!"

"Get out of the way, Lillian!" Arthur belted out in anger. "I'm in the middle of kickin' his ass into next week!"

"Why?" Lilly snapped.

"Because he challenged me for you! I'm fightin' for my woman!"

"I don't want you to fight, I want you to stop!"

"But Lilly, I-"

Lilly held up a finger. "Dún do bhéal! Tá mé ag caint!" _[Close your mouth! I'm talking!]_

"Ná inis dom mo bhéal a dhúnadh! Dúnann tú do bhéal, bean!" Arthur got in her face and shoved her fist down with both hands. _[Don't tell me to close my mouth! You close your mouth, woman!]_

"Dúnann tú do bhéal!" _[You close your mouth!]_

"Tú!" _[You!]_

"TÚ!" _[YOU!]_

"Knock it off, you god damn wench!"

"No, you knock it off, ya piece of shite bastard!"

"Trollop!"

"Prick!"

"Bean Éireannach dúr!" _[Stupid Irish woman!]_

"Sasanach dúr!" _[Stupid Englishman!]_

"Woa woa woa!" Sean came running and got in between them. "Now now, no need tah shout at each other like this!"

Lilly huffed. "That's it. I ain't marryin' either one of yas! Come Karen, let's-"

Arthur pushed past Sean and kissed Lilly passionately. "Don't you be talkin' like that, woman!"

"Why are ya fightin' him when ya know I can very well beat him tah kingdom come?!"

"You're my wife! I'm supposed to fight for you!"

With a roll of her eyes, she kissed his lips briefly. "Yes, but I'm not just any ole' wife, am I?"

Arthur chuckled and wiped blood from his chin. "No, you ain't, mo stóirín, and I love that about you."

Lilly smiled and kissed his chin. "Aww, does Mo Fear Álainn have a boo boo?" she teased.

Arthur nudged her shoulder. "Shut up, Lillian," he wheezed with a laugh. "But yeah, your beautiful man got a boo boo. He's got lots of boo boos everywhere."

"Should I kiss 'em so they feel better?"

"Excuse me!" Patrick shouted. "I'm still here!"

Lilly grabbed Patrick by the shirt collar, pushed him to the railing, and hung him over the side. "I am busy with my husband, Patrick! Ya gave him boo boos!" she laughed.

Arthur, Sean and Karen laughed excitedly. Patrick looked down at the water. "Are ya kidding me? Now ya have super strength?!"

"Yes! Now stop fightin' me husband and listen when I say I ain't marryin' ya and that's final!"

"Now you listen here, ya damn-" Patrick's watch went flying out of his vest and into the water. "Oh no! Me watch!"

Lilly flung Patrick back up, shoved her boots off, and went diving in after the golden time piece. "Lillian!" was all she heard before she hit the water.

* * *

"Jesus Christ! Lillian!" Arthur shouted as he looked over the side. She was gone. "Is she nuts?!" The wolves started howling and barking.

"Christ, she didn't have to go after it!" Patrick yelled.

"Hey!" A bystander shouted. "Did I just see a girl jump in?!"

"No!" The small group shouted.

"Yes I did! Woman overboard!"

"Ah shit!" Arthur snapped. "Here we go. Dammit."

People came running over. One of them had a life saver. "She jumped off the side, I swear she did!"

"What crap are you talkin', Charlie?" another man said. "What crazy woman would jump off the side of a ship?!"

Arthur picked up Lilly's boots and his coat before strolling along the side with the rest of the entourage. "If she ain't dead, I'll kill her!" Arthur growled.

"If she isn't dead, I'm buyin' her a drink!" Sean said and giggled.

"Sean!" Karen yelped. "She just jumped off a movin' ship! She ain't invincible!"

Arthur was mad. Ever since she came back to life, Lilly acted like she was the most powerful creature in the world. Arthur didn't know how she got her new powers or why but he'd be damned if he didn't chastise Lilly about her stupid and reckless behavior. Just then, Lilly popped up at the side of the ship and jumped on the deck. She shook the water out of her hair and smiled at the stunned group as if nothing strange just happened. Brian and James ran to her excitedly. Lilly held up Patrick's watch and put it in his hand. "I ain't goin' after this a second time. Don't drop it again."

Arthur furiously grabbed her arm. He dragged Lilly along the deck, fully intent on chewing her ass out. "You are in big trouble, Lillian Rose Morgan! _Biiig_ trouble!"

"Why?" Lilly giggled. "What did I do?"

Arthur pulled her close. "What did you do?! You coulda gotten killed doin' that, you stupid girl!"

"But I didn't," she said innocently as they walking along. "I'm fine, obviously."

"None of us knew if you would be!"

Lilly scoffed. "Oh, excuse me, I didna know I was a wee bairn tah be coddled!" Lilly glared at Patrick. "And you! What is feckin' wrong with ya!? Disrespectin' me when I say no?! Has anyone besides me ever said no tah ya, ya spoiled little shite?!"

Arthur yanked her inside and kept guiding her aggressively. "Knock it off, Lillian!"

They marched through the public areas until they got to their living quarters. Arthur shoved her in and shut the door in Patrick's face but the wolves stayed with him. Arthur fumed as he went locking the door behind him. He shoved Lilly further in.

"Hey! What is yer problem?!" she snapped.

"Are you out of your god damn mind?!" Arthur shouted in her face. "Jumping off a ship for a fuckin' watch?! It wasn't even your watch!"

"I know! But it was his family watch! You know how important things like that are to me!" Lilly shouted right back in his face.

"But it wasn't even your watch!"

"Why are you so upset? I am fine! It's not like I...oh."

"Yes! Lilly, I thought you died again," he said sighed and dragged his calloused palms over his face. "Don't do it again, please. I can't..." Arthur hugged her. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you again, darlin'."

Lilly pushed him back gently and put her palms to his cheeks. "Arthur, look at me." Arthur glanced at her face. "You are not gonna lose me again. I am not goin' anywhere, but I won't do anythin' like that again, alright?"

Arthur inclined his head sadly. "Thank you."

Lilly smiled then shoved Arthur over to the bed. He landed on his back and Lilly crawled on top of him with a suggestive smirk on her face. "Now. How's about a seventh round, mo chuisle?"

"Yes, I'd like that very much, mo stóirín."

Lilly began undressing Arthur out of his blue shirt and black pants. "Are you gonna get worn out or are we gonna go drinkin'?"

Arthur sat up and undid her buttons. "Depends on how hard you ride me, I'd imagine."

Lilly got him undressed, then undressed herself and sat on top of him. "Should I be gentle, or should I act like you're a wild bull?"

"Hey!" Karen yelled through the door. "Are we gonna go drinkin' or what?"

"We'll catch up!" Lilly shouted in response. "I need some alone time with my husband!"

"Again?"

"Yes again!"

"Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, you better not be doing what I think you're doing!" Patrick's muffled shout came from behind the door.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest, Sir Patrick! I'm-" Lilly directed Arthur's member to slide inside her and he shut his eyes when the warmth of her womanhood enveloped his head and shaft. "Lillian, you...oh..." he mumbled, grasping her hips as she pivoted them.

"An mothaíonn sé sin go maith?" Lilly asked in a husky voice. _[Does that feel good?]_

"Tá," he replied. It felt good indeed. "An-mhaith." _[Yes. So good.]_

Arthur relaxed on his back as Lilly gyrated and rode him. God, she really wore him out today with all the sex but he didn't care. They were making up for lost time yet he had a feeling they were going to make love at every opportunity. It wasn't long until she achieved an orgasm and the spasming of her pussy made him moan from the exquisite sensation. After her second, third, fourth, and fifth orgasm, he got his own and his seed spilled inside of her. He loved how easy it was for Lilly to come over and over and it made him feel like a real man. And he was far from done this time around. Arthur rolled his wife on her back and shoved his fingers inside her, suckling and licking Lilly's clit in the process, and just like clockwork, Lilly ejaculated all over the bed.

It was when she finished a tenth time when she begged him to stop but he refused her request. Arthur was far from being done with her. However, at her sixteenth time, Arthur was hard again and he placed gentle kisses up her body as he crawled up her body and thrust into her, and Lilly kept on as Arthur made love to her. He bit Lilly's nipples, neck, throat, earlobes, then planted soft pecks on her lips, cheeks, jaw line, neck, and shoulders. By the time her twenty second orgasm came around, Arthur came as well. Now he was done with her as Lilly's sweat soaked body shivered underneath him.

"That was...oh God, Arthur, you've ruined me," she whispered breathlessly.

"You ready for some beer now?" he asked softly.

"I'm ready for a nap."

Arthur chuckled and kissed her gently. "Tá mé i ngrá leat, mo bhean chéile. _[I am in love with you, my wife.]_

Tá mé i ngrá leat, mo fhear céile," she moaned with exhaustion as he pulled out. _[I am in love with you, my husband.]_

"You take a nap, mo grá. When you wake up, meet us down with the third class. I hear their drinkin' parties are much better than first class."

Lilly giggled and she licked his lips. "Okay."

"Hmm." He slithered down her body. "Ceann eile don bhóthar?" _[Another for the road?]_

"As ucht Dé, my love. If you insist." Arthur laughed and put his head between her legs. She quickly orgasmed for the twenty third time before rolling over and nearly dozing off. Arthur took the blankets and covered her before snuggling against Lilly. He didn't want to leave her just yet. He smirked and put a finger against her sensitive nub. She moaned out again. "Oh good grief, Arthur. You...oh...oh...ooohh..." And she came again when he played with her. Twenty four.

"I can't help myself, m'lady. So easy to please."

Lilly laughed weakly. "That's goin' to be a bedrooom thing now, ain't it..."

"Of course, m'lady..." He fingered her again.

"Oh God," Lilly yelped as she trembled. "Stoooooooop...wait, oh...ohohohohooooohh..." she groaned and number twenty five hit her. "You gotta stop."

"Nope. Five more should do me good. I gotta brag to your betrothed because I doubt he can pleasure you..." Arthur pushed his fingers in and out as he suckled. Lilly gushed all over him and he chuckled and slurped it up. "...as much as I can, m'lady."

"Okay. Four more, but that's it, Mr. Morgan!"

Arthur continued his work, Lilly's fingers working through his hair as he made her squirt four more times. Her orgasm count was now at thirty and he felt satisfied with the number. He drank her honey then sat up. "All done."

Lilly breathed heavily, covered her crotch, and rolled over on her side. "You...better be...mo chuisle...uh..."

Arthur put the sheets over her and nuzzled her hair. kissing her auburn strands lightly. "Don't sleep too long, but just enough to rest up for later," Arthur whispered gruffly.

"You are a sexual deviant, bithiúnach," Lilly said with a smile.

A chortle of delight escaped him and he kissed her cheek before getting up to dress. "Sleep, m'lady." She didn't answer so he knew she already dozed off. Arthur smiled at his wife, tempted to wake her up again but decided to grant her this small mercy. He freshened up his face, dressed in his summer gunslinger outfit and left the room in the happiest of dispositions. "What a wife," he said to himself as he ambled confidently down the hall.

* * *

_Lilly is in a dark room with no light. Lilly runs to find a way to escape but there is no exit. She hears ravens cawing and a whoosh of air hits her._

_"Lillian," she hears a woman say. She turns around and sees a giant red wolf with bright blue eyes before her. The wolf is almost the height of a horse. Nineteen hands at the shoulder, Lilly guesses._

_"Who are you?" Lilly asks, her voice echoing throughout the area. "Where am I?"_

_"I am The Morrigan, my child. I am the Goddess of War and Death," the wolf responds. "And this is the black room."_

_Lilly closes in on the creature. "The black room?"_

_"You were bound here, my child."_

_"Bound? I don't understand."_

_"You will in time. Come." The wolf turns and walks so Lilly walks with her. "I know you have questions_ _, my child. You may ask three each time I visit."_

_"Alright. But...I already asked questions. Four of them."_

_The wolf laughs briefly. "This is your first dream visit with me. I will let it pass but just this once. Now, ask your questions."_

_"Am I a Siren?"_

_"No."_

_"What am I?"_

_"A very special mortal with very special gifts."_

_"Why did I get new...gifts after dying?"_

_"You did not die. You were reborn. And every time you are reborn, your binds will weaken. Your first rebirth awakened old gifts but you were unable to retain them. With your second rebirth, you became powerful enough to gain old gifts. And your third rebirth will unbind you completely, but I must warn you..." The wolf stops. "This third rebirth will hurt."_

_"Well, I guess I have no more questions to ask. For now." Lilly wanted to ask about her third 'rebirth' but she knew The Morrigan would not answer it._

_"Oh, my dear Lillian, I knew you'd catch on quick. But I must show you one of your gifts. Come, on your knees, my child._

_Lilly gets on her knees and t_ _he wolf presses her head to Lilly's forehead. Lilly receives flashes of images._

_Horses running. Blood spilling. Arthur crying and grieving_ _as he throws things around their tent. Young Lilly running through a forest. Her father, Sir Jack, fighting a red headed woman wearing ancient war paint and an ancient warrior dress. Binds are wrapped around Lilly's form._ _A fire enveloping Lilly while bound to a stake. Her old estate and oak tree burning._

Lilly woke up and gasped as she sat up. The bed was soaked from her sweat. What a strange dream. Lilly went and bathed in one of the public bathrooms to refresh her body and mind. Was she really visited by The Morrigan? Why? How? What new gifts had the Goddess of War and Death given her? What did those images mean? Lilly decided she couldn't make sense of it now and put those questions and worries in the back of her mind. When she got back to the room, Lilly dressed in her regular gunslinger attire. She brushed her hair and made little celtic braids from some of her shiny red strands before heading out the door. Lilly asked for directions to the third class level and was met with a sneer of contempt by one of the first class 'hoity toity' passengers. Lilly glared at them and walked around. She found the stairs and ran down the steps to the lower levels, Lilly's hair bouncing up and down as she went. Soon she heard the rowdy musings of the drunken passengers and followed the loud sounds. Lilly went down another flight of stairs into a crowded room with bar stools, chairs, tables, and a large platform in the middle. She saw her group and they were already shite-faced. Brian and James were receiving much love from the people. Lilly bounded up to her husband, grabbing and kissing him deeply.

"Hello, me malafoostered and handsome Mr. Morgan."

"Mmm, Mrs. Morgan," Arthur slurred as he made out with her sloppily. "I am sooooo happy you're here, darlin'. Patrick and I possibly came to an uh...to uh...what's the word? Oh, accord!" he shouted with his glass held high. "An accord! He won't force you to marry him as long as, uh, what was it, Sean?"

"He said..." Sean burped and Karen laughed. "He said somethin' about Arthur needin' tah drink him under the table."

Lilly scowled, smacking Arthur's hat off. "Are ya daft? Ya discussed this without askin' me?!"

Arthur wrapped an arm around her. "C'mon, let's not fight. Get drunk with me." He handed Lilly his glass. "Here, my lovely Irish woman."

Lilly sighed and downed all the beer. She set the glass down and looked around. "Is he around here?"

"Who, Patrick? Yes. He's getting more drinks." Lilly looked around and saw Patrick...and her jaw dropped. His new attire was a white poet shirt without the fluffs and it was tucked in tight black pants. He had black boots. His black hair was slicked back and he was clean shaven. The dimple in his chin accentuated the masculine features of his face and he was carrying a tray of shots. When his green eyes spotted her, his full lips smirked. Patrick looked like a young, handsome pirate and for a moment, she forgot she was married. "Excuse me!" Arthur snapped. "Are you ogglin' Patrick Nolan?"

Lilly frowned at Arthur. "Sorry, but I ain't dead, ya silly man! He's not that bad lookin'."

"Better lookin' than me?"

Lilly smiled at her husband. "Don't tell me you're jealous, mo chuisle. You still look so young, and," Lilly leaned to his ear. "Your body and sexual prowess are beyond compare."

Arthur chuckled and tapped her chin as he gazed into her eyes. "Don't you be butterin' me up, mo stoirín."

"I don't know why ya keep sayin' 'little darling' instead of just "darling'."

"Okay, mo stór. Is that better?" _[my darling.]_

"Yes."

Arthur chuckled happily as Patrick brought the drinks. "Lilly, so nice of you to join us. Where were you?"

Lilly grinned. "Sláinte,' she said and they all slammed down a shot. "I was nappin'."

"Napping?"

"Arthur here managed to wear me out."

Patrick gaped at them both. "You two aren't even legally married!"

"We're hand fasted. That's good enough for now."

"But you're a countess!"

Lilly sighed and slammed another shot down. "Patrick, I dunna why ya insist on tellin' me what I shouldna be doin'. I was raised a bloody outlaw, but ya know damn well I'da done what I pleased regardless!"

"But premarital sex?"

Lilly smiled evily. "Patrick, are _you_ a virgin?"

Patrick sighed and shook his head. "That's different, Lilly. I'm a man."

"Ugh, typical male response," Karen said. "Such a man's world we live in, Lilly."

"We should change that!" Lilly laughed, clinking a shot glass with Karen before both of them drank. Suddenly, a fast-paced song started playing and when Lilly heard the familiar sounds of Uilleann pipes, spoons, a bodhrán, a fiddle, an irish flute, and a hurdy-gurdy, Lilly's eyes immediately brightened with excitement. "Dance! Dance! Dance!"

Lilly grabbed Arthur and began to dance with him. Arthur laughed and took the lead as they fast waltzed around the room. Patrick went running to the platform and Lilly smiled as Patrick danced Sean-nós style. She ran up and started competing with him. Their shoes clicked and clacked on the floor and Lilly motioned Arthur over. When he refused, Patrick laughed.

"What's the matter, Morgan? Scared of a little dancing?" he shouted.

Arthur cackled before getting on the platform. He watched the two of them and their feet, scratched his head as he removed his hat, then took a big breath and smiled brightly as his feet began tapping along the floor. Lilly was so impressed she stopped to watch him.

"Arthur feckin' Morgan, ya little sneak! When did ya learn that?"

Arthur laughed. "Cad? Cheap tú gurb í an Ghaeilge an t-aon rud a d'fhoghlaim mé?" he asked with a lively and cocky voice. _[What? You thought Irish was the only thing I learned?]_

Lilly laughed and watched the two men compete with each other. Patrick was still a little better, but not by much. "Not bad, Morgan. You can fight, speak Irish, and dance. And so far, ya can drink like a regular Irishman too. I got me work cut out fer me fer Lilly's hand, it seems," Patrick commented lightly.

"That you do, Nolan!" Arthur said with a laugh.

The two men linked arms and twirled with each other a few times before linking their other arms and twirling the other way. Lilly was happy they were getting along, at least. The song ended and cheers erupted throughout the whole room as Patrick took a bow. Arthur merely put his hat back on and tipped it down. He wasn't one for showmanship or compliments. He jumped down with Lilly and a slow song began. Arthur grabbed his wife and they both began to sway with the music.

"Hmm," Lilly said with a suspicious eye. "When did you learn that?"

"Around the same time I started learnin' Gaeilge. Sean's a good teacher," Arthur said with a smug smile.

Lilly looked over at Sean who made a small bow. Lilly laughed and looked back at Arthur. "Was this to prank me too?"

"Nope."

"Then why?"

"I lied. None of it was about prankin' you." Arthur's spun around once and took her with him. "It was always to impress you."

* * *

_Arthur sat on the bed in Colter reading one of his books about learning Irish. He was pretty fluent now but without Sean there to guide him, he felt a bit unsure of himself. He was alone, thank God, so he sounded out the words._

_"Má tá grá agat riamh do do chailín Éireannach, tá a fhios agat go bhfuil a temper chomh láidir lena croí," he said. "Ha! Ain't that the truth," Arthur laughed._ _[If you ever love your Irish girl, you know that her temper is as strong as her heart.]_

_"Are you learnin' Irish, Arthur?" Charles asked._

_Arthur put the book on the bed. He thought he'd been alone. "Yep. It's for a prank. For Lilly."_

_"Are you two alright?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_Charles leaned against the door frame. "Well, you two haven't spoken since before we left."_

_"We had a tiff, is all," Arthur said, although he knew it was more than that. It was a real fight where horrible things were said and he was quite certain Lilly would never talk to him for the rest of their lives. He'd lost her and that was his M.O. Losing people he loved._

_"A tiff? Doesn't seem like any old tiff to me. Would you like to talk about it?"_

_Arthur made a low chuckle. "I ain't one for sharin' my feelins', Charles."_

_"Would it hurt to do it once in your life?"_

_"No, I suppose not."_

_Charles grabbed a chair and placed his rump on it. "So, what's on your mind, Arthur? How did the fight start?"_

_Arthur sighed heavily. "Well, we was flirtin', as we are prone to do, and we been skinny dippin' together for a while now. I got too close and Lilly, she...she touched me. My...you know..."_

_"I see. You got mad?"_

_"Yes," Arthur said in surprise. "She wanted to do it again, too."_

_"And you didn't want to? Why?"_

_"Because, Charles, this is just a game for her...for both of us. Touchin' those areas is off limits."_

_"And who set those rules? You or her?"_

_"What difference does that make? I set the rules. I don't want her to...to want me like that."_

_"What did you expect, Arthur? You had to know it would stop bein' a game for her eventually, whether or not she knows it."_

_"I know. Which is why I told her we couldn't do it no more. She can go and...pick anyone else to flirt with now and leave me the hell alone. She already has, I saw her doin' it."_

_Charles laughed. "But you were clearly not happy about it."_

_"Stoppin' a long term routine cold turkey is a hard habit to drop. And yeah, I guess I'm a bit jealous now but she doesn't seem to care. As far as I can tell, she's become more enthusiastic with Mac and Davey!" Arthur snapped. It really did make him mad. He was extremely jealous but it was his fault to begin with. Him and his stupid penis. "I never shoulda gave in to that game of hers."_

_"You don't really feel that way."_

_"How would you know how I feel?" Arthur asked. "How would anyone besides me know?"_

_"You don't have to talk about it, but Arthur," Charles sighed and slapped a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"_

_Arthur shot off the bed. "No!" he yelled in a high pitched voice and it made Charles laugh. Arthur cleared his throat, regaining his composure and brushing off imaginary dust from his jacket. "No, I'm not."_

_"You keep tellin' yourself that, you will lose her, Arthur, and you will regret it." Charles stood up and left the room. "Don't make the same mistake twice."_

_Arthur knew Charles' words rang true. He loved Lilly and he'd let her go. And he felt like an idiot for it, but she was just so young. He'd known her since she was a child and he was a very young man then, but...now Lilly was a young woman. Arthur couldn't keep arguing with himself about it. In the end, he made the right call. Right? Arthur went walking out of the small shack to the bigger one. He heard Tilly talking as he walked in._

_"He's strong, and he's smart," said Tilly._

_"Strong at least," Abigail argued. Arthur went to the fire to warm up. "Hello Arthur."_

_"Abigail," he replied warmly._

_She stood up and looked at him with desperation. "Arthur...how you doin'?"_

_Ah shit. "Just fine, Abigail...and you?" Arthur asked._

_Abigail looked contrite. "I need you to-" Arthur huffed. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry to ask, but-"_

_"It's Little John. He's got himself into a scrape again," Arthur groaned bitterly as he looked back at the fire._

_"He ain't been seen in two...two days."_

_"Your John'll be fine. I mean, he may be as dumb as rocks and as dull as rusted iron, but that ain't changin' because he got caught in some snowstorm!"_

_"At least go take a look," Hosea said calmly. "Javier?"_

_"Yes?" Javier replied._

_"Javier, will you ride out with Arthur to take a look for John? You're the two best fit men we got."_

_"Now?"_

_"She's..." Hosea looked at Abigail. "We're all...we're pretty worried about him."_

_"Fuck John!" Arthur shouted. "Ain't none of you worried about Lilly, or did her disappearance slip all your minds?!"_

_"Uncle Arthur," Jack said. "I'm worried about Aunt Lilly, too. I miss her. Maybe you'll find her while you're out lookin' for Pa?"_

_Jack did have a point. "You're right, kid, I'm sorry for shoutin', folks. Javier, let's go."_

_Both the men left on horses and went to go find John and Lilly. Of course, Arthur was more concerned about Lilly being gone. Had she been captured? Was she dead? Did she decide to leave the gang? That third choice seemed highly unlikely...unless Lilly left because of him._ _That seemed unlikely too, but still. Arthur and Javier tracked John down somewhere in the mountains. He'd been attacked by a pack of wolves. And on the way back, they got attacked by another group but Arthur shot them dead. Still no sign of Lilly, but he assumed she had to be at camp by now. By the time they got back to Colter, it was dark out._

_"Come on! Someone help John down off this horse!" Javier yelled with a wounded John sitting behind him._

_"Can we get some help here?" Arthur shouted as they rode into Colter. They slowed their horses to a stop and Arthur got off his horse. "Can we get some help? We need some help here!"_

_Abigail, Bill, and Lenny ran outside to Javier. "C'mon, help him down," Javier said._

_"You're alive! Oh you're alive!" Abigail shouted with relief._

_Bill and Lenny went to each side to help John down. "C'mon, there we go. Here we go," Javier soothed. John shouted in pain as they pulled him down. "Ay, careful idiotas! It's his leg!"_

_Bill and Lenny held on to John and walked him inside. "Come on, let's get you warm!" Abigail exclaimed. "Thank you, thank you both!" she said to Javier and Arthur._

_As the men took John inside, Hosea and Strauss approached the two heroes. "Thank you, Arthur," Hosea said to him and Javier._

_"Thank you."_

_"You got any other lost maidens need savin'?" Arthur joked._

_Hosea chuckled. "Not today."_

_Javier left the men and Arthur addressed the two men. "Have you and Dutch talked about how we're gonna get out of this?"_

_"I was just discussing with Herr Strauss when the weather breaks, I suppose we'll have to keep headin' east."_

_"East?" Arthur snapped. "Into all that...that civilization?"_

_"I know. The west is where our problems are worse." Arthur sighed and nodded in agreement. "Come on, Herr Strauss. Let's get warm. Wait, you didn't see Lilly, did you?"_

_"No. She ain't here?"_

_"...No. Hmm. Now I am worried. But we'll have some folks go out and look for her, you should take a break."_

_"Long enough for coffee, then I'm goin' back out."_

_True to his word, Arthur set out after a cup of coffee was warm in his gut. He spent the whole night looking for her but not a hide nor hair of Lilly turned up. He was tired and the new horse he acquired from the Adler residence was tired but he couldn't help himself. Arthur had to find her. Sometime in the night though, Micah and Bill found him._

_"Arthur, you need rest," Bill said. "We're worried about Lilly too, but she's gonna be found and she's gonna be just fine."_

_"I know, but I don't like not knowin' for sure," Arthur replied._

_"Arthur, go get some rest. We'll find the girl, okay?" Micah said. "Maybe we should make a bet of it, though. Whoever finds her gets to have her."_

_"Micah!" Bill scoffed. "You know Arthur is hers. Makin' a bet out of this is in poor taste!"_

_"Why thank you, Bill," Arthur chuckled._

_"But ain't you two on bad terms?" Micah asked. "She's been flirtin' mighty heavy with Davey and Mac."_

_"...How heavy?" Arthur eyed him suspiciously._

_"Micah, don't rile him up with your bullshit! Just go find the girl!" Bill snapped angrily._

_Micah laughed and went scampering off on Blaylock. Arthur looked at Bill and inclined his head in gratitude. "Thanks, Bill."_

_"You're welcome, Arthur. And don't worry about what she's been doin' lately. We all know you're still her favorite." Bill went riding off in another direction._

_Arthur tried to sleep that night, but he kept waking up and looking in the stables for Holly. However, exhaustion overcame him and he managed a few hours of sleep. Lilly wasn't found the second day of her disappearance and more people were getting worried. Dutch sent some more men out in shifts to find her, but Arthur was out most of that day looking for her. The storm was hindering him in the most ridiculous way and with each hour she wasn't found, his anxiety got more intense. Dutch had found him at one point and insisted he come back to take a break or to at least let his horse rest. Arthur reluctantly obliged and they both headed back to camp. Arthur tried to hold himself together but he found it to be very difficult. Each time a hunting party came back empty handed, Arthur felt the need to break something. And by the end of the second day when Lenny and Charles came back with no news, Arthur went into one of the abandoned buildings and started kicking things about._ _Arthur paced back and forth, wanting to rip his hair out and beat the shit out of someone. Where the fuck was that woman? With clenched fists, Arthur began punching the walls. Holes were made from his gloved fists. Charles came in and stopped him._

_"Arthur, you need to relax, alright? Anyone else sees you lose your mind like this, all the morale in camp will go down."_

_"Why can't we find her, Charles? Where the hell could she possibly be? Why the hell haven't we come across anything?" Arthur spoke quickly in an angry tone._

_"I don't know, Arthur. Maybe she's holed up somewhere until the storm passes."_

_Arthur laughed bitterly, still pacing. "I know Lilly. She ain't gonna just stay in one place. It's not in her nature."_

_"Okay, so maybe we need to go farther out. She could be traveling in the wrong direction. This damn blizzard can make the best traveler get lost."_

_Arthur took a deep breath and sat down on the floor. "That might be it. I'm sorry, Charles, for snappin' at you."_

_"Forgiven, my friend. I get why you're worried, we all are, but we will find her and we will find her alive."_

_Arthur chuckled at him. "You're right."_

_Charles sighed and sat down next to him. "You need a drink." He handed Arthur some bourbon. "It'll help take your mind off it."_

_"Yeah, I think I do."_

_Arthur took the cap off and drank some of it, then handed it to Charles who also drank some. They passed the bottle back and forth between one another, and soon they were pretty drunk and laughing while telling each other stories, then it got to a point where Arthur let his rough exterior fade for just a bit._

_"You're tellin' me Lilly killed all those men that day you met her?" Charles slurred his words._

_"Yep," Arthur slurred back. "Lilly's always been a lethal little shit."_

_"How old are you Arthur?"_

_"Thirty six. Why?"_

_"Well, Lilly's gonna be twenty two soon and I was wonderin' if her age had somethin' to do with your...hesitation."_

_"My hesitation?" When Charles gave him a knowing look, Arthur sighed. "Yes. It is the age difference, Charles. When she touched me, I felt like a dirty old man for wantin' her to...to keep touchin' me."_

_"You love her, don't you?"_

_"I am in love with Miss O'Callaghan, yes, but I've lost her, Charles. Not just to this god damn blizzard, but...I've lost her good opinion of me. You wanna know what I called her_ _? W_ _hen we fight, I do say things like 'harlot' or 'tart', but I flat out called her a whore, Charles, and that is unforgiveable."_

_"She call you anythin'?"_

_Arthur cackled. "Ha! She called me a dirty old man, but I deserved it."_

_"When she comes back, you should apologize. Don't take her for granted."_

_"It's hard not to. She's always been there for me. Now she ain't. She almost went with Dutch to that stupid Blackwater ferry job instead of the job she was doin' with me and Hosea."_

_"Because she was mad at you."_

_"Well I'm mad at her, Charles! She started flirtin' more with other men right in front of me!"_

_"Do you think it was because she wanted you to be jealous so you'd talk to her and try to work things out?"_

_Arthur blinked a few times, laughing at himself. "Another huntin' tactic. Good God, that woman."_

_The men finished off the bottle and went to sleep for the night. When Arthur woke up, he spent a good portion of the day looking for her but again, she was not found. Arthur tried not to worry but he found it hard not to be. But the next day a little after noon, Micah came strolling into the shack where Arthur, Bill and Charles were sitting in while talking._

_"Hello, fellas. What are you boys up to?" Micah asked._

_"Not a whole lot, Micah. Just us boys talkin'. Where have you been?" Arthur asked._

_"Oh, nowhere. Just came back from scoutin' around, and I even brought back somethin' real nice."_

_"Oh yeah? What's that?" Charles asked._

_Micah laughed and put a foot up on a log, leaning forward on his knee and grinning like he knew something they didn't. "I found a flower."_

_"A flower?" Bill scoffed. "How did you find a flower in all this god damn snow?"_

_"Oh, it was just pokin' out of the snow, wavin' in the wind," he sighed. "Such a pretty one, too. So grateful to come back with me out of the cold. Apparently it was chased by a bear and had a run in with wolves last night, but wasn't the worse for wear."_

_Arthur sighed and lowered his head, rubbing his temples. He was way too tired to quite get the gist of Micah's humor. "You're not makin' any sense, Micah."_

_"What kind of flower was it?" Charles asked with a grin._

_Arthur raised a brow at Charles. "Why are you grinnin'?"_

_Charles laughed. "You're exhausted, Arthur, but it'll come to you."_

_Arthur was exhausted. His mind wasn't registering what Micah was getting at. "Micah, can you stop talkin' in riddles and..." Arthur suddenly got out of his seat and gaped at Micah when he finally got what was going on. "Oh, please tell me it was a lilly you found."_

_Micah held up a hand, smiled broadly and shoved his thumbs into his belt. "Yep. A red lilly." Arthur brushed past Micah and burst through the door. "You're welcome!" Micah said._

_Arthur looked over across the snow and sure enough, Lilly was there. She was standing in front of the main cabin. "Oh thank God," Arthur said to himself. "LILLEH!" he shouted and ran over to her._

_She turned around and waved at him. "Hey there, partner!"_

_Arthur reached Lilly and grabbed her tightly, breathing heavily as his heart pounded inside his chest. He felt her relax in his arms and he smiled into her hair. They stayed that way for a minute or two before Arthur pulled back and held Lilly's face in his hands. He stared down into her blue eyes and smiled at her. "_

_Are you alright, Lilly?" he asked._


	23. Seven Drunken Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs are "Seven Drunken Nights" but it's a version with a woman singing about her cheating husband. "Red Is The Rose" in the style of The High Kings, although the song is originally in the Scottish tune "Loch Lomond". Chapter is rated M for mature sexual content and drug use.

As the night went on, the group got drunker off whiskey and Guinness. Patrick, Sean and Arthur were becoming good friends and Lilly was liking it. She went off to go find Brian and James who were skulking about and playing with some kids. Lilly laughed at the playful antics.

"Are ya lads havin' fun stealin' bits and scraps from people?" she slurred. Brian pawed and groaned at her and Lilly scratched his head. Lilly suddenly had an idea and ran to the band with inebriated confidence. "Hey, do ya know 'Seven Drunken Nights' by chance?" she asked.

"Of course! Would ya like us tah sing it lass?" the fiddler asked.

Lilly leaned in. "Actually, I'd like tah with me pals, if that's okay. But ya gotta plug yer ears."

"Why?" the accordion player laughed. "Are ya that bad?"

Lilly chuckled. "Yes. Soooo bad, ya simply won't be able tah play no more."

The band cackled. "Alright, lassie. Just give us a few minutes."

Lilly ran over to Sean, Patrick, Arthur, and Karen. "Ya wanna see...see somethin' special happen? Plug up yer ears."

"Lilly, are ya...are ya singin'?" Patrick garbled in shock.

Lilly giggled in drunken delight. "Yes, but you and...uh, you and Sean are too. Seven Drunken Nights. Oh, Arthur, I-I...ha! I guess ya wilna need tah plug yer ears, love."

"Wait, is Arthur immune tah that too?!" Patrick shouted.

"Yessir, I am," Arthur replied.

"Hey lass! Ya ready?!" the band shouted.

Lilly went running with a stumble back to them and grinned. "Yep."

Lilly saw Karen, Sean and Patrick put stuff in their ears and Lilly sighed as the music started to play.

"Well, as I came home on a Monday night..." Lilly sang, but she stopped. No one was freezing or getting black eyes. "Okay wait, wait, stop the music fer a minute!"

The music stopped and Arthur laughed. "What's wrong?"

Lilly slipped and fell as she ran to Arthur. He laughed, helping his wife back to her feet. Lilly whispered to him. "No one stopped." Lilly clapped. This was good news. "Take out yer plugs and start again, please! Sorry!"

The band took cloth from their ears, as did Patrick, Sean and Karen, and the band got ready again. "Okay, ya drunk woman!" The band shouted and everyone laughed. Lilly sang again.

 _Well I came home on a Monday night, as drunk as drunk could...could be_ ,

_I saw a horse outside the door where me old horse should be._

Lilly looked at Arthur and pointed at him.

_I called me husband and said tah him, will ya kindly tell tah me,_

_W_ _ho owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be?_

Arthur laughed with Patrick, Karen and Sean.

_Ah,_ _yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_That's a lovely sow that me mother sent tah me._

_Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_But a saddle on a sow, sure I never saw before._

Lilly started walking around with her hands behind her back. She hiccuped and laughed. Lilly tried her best not to mumble.

_Well, I came home on a Tuesday night, as drunk as drunk could be,_

_I saw a coat behind the door where...where me old coat should be._

Lilly walked up to Arthur with a playful pout.

_I called me husband and said tah him, will ya kindly tell tah me,_

_Wh_ _o owns that coat behind the door where me old coat should be?_

Arthur laughed again as Lilly ran away from him.

_Ah, yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_That's a woolen blanket that me mother sent tah me._

_Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_B_ _ut buttons on a blanket, sure I never saw before._

Lilly grinned at Arthur and paced around nonchalantly.

_Well, I came home on a Wednesday night, as drunk as drunk could be._

_I saw a pipe upon the chair, where me old pipe should be._

_I called me husband and said tah him, will ya kindly tell tah me,_

Lilly pointed at Arthur again and he laughed.

 _W_ _ho owns that pipe upon the chair where me old pipe should be_?

_Ah, yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_That's a lovely tin-whistle that me mother sent tah me_

_Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_But tobacco in a tin-whistle, sure I never saw before._

Lilly lowered her arm and walked around with a smile. She was feeling happy that she could sing without people being magically enthralled for once.

_Well I came home on a Thursday night, as drunk as drunk could be._

_I saw two boots beside the bed, where me own boots should be._

_I called me husband and said tah him, will ya kindly tell tah me,_

Lilly jumped over to Arthur with a fist raised jokingly.

 _Who owns them boots beside the bed where me old boots should be_?

Lilly started skipping around.

_Ah, yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_They're two lovely flower pots me mother sent tah me._

_Well it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_But laces on flower pots, sure I never saw before._

Lilly was getting excited about the last three verses. She would have to make them up on the spot since this song was usually sung by a man about his wife.

_Well, I came home on a Friday night, as drunk as drunk could be._

_I saw a head upon the bed, where me old head should be._

_I called me husband and said tah him, will ya kindly tell tah me,_

_Who_ _owns that head upon the bed where me old head should be_?

_Ah, yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_That's a baby girl that me mother sent tah me._

_Well it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_But makeup on a baby girl, sure I never saw before._

Now was the créme dé la créme. Lilly was smiling from ear to ear as she looked at Arthur. There was a twinkle in her dark blue eyes.

_Well, I came home on a Saturday night, as drunk as drunk could be._

_I saw two hands around his cock_...

Arthur spit out his beer and started laughing hysterically, as did the rest of the room. The band had to stop playing because they couldn't stop laughing. Lilly could barely contain herself and began to giggle in a fit, so she took a drink from a pint of Guinness, using her arm to wipe the froth off her lips. The music resumed on her cue.

_...where me old hands should be_

_I called me husband and said tah him, will ya kindly tell tah me,_

_Who owns those hands around yer cock where me own hands should be_?

Arthur cackled again and clapped in amusement and joy while Lilly sang.

_Ah, yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_Those are cotton trousers that me mother sent tah me._

_Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_But knuckles on cotton trousers, sure I never saw before._

_Well, I went home on a Sunday night, as drunk as drunk could be._

_I saw a lass come out the door a little after three._

Lilly smiled at Arthur lovingly, twisting back and forth with her arms behind her.

_I called me husband and said tah him..._

Lilly motioned Arthur over with a finger. "C'mere..." she said enthusiastically and Arthur came staggering over.

_W_ _ill ya kindly tell tah me,_

Lilly slapped him playfully and a bunch of men guffawed. Arthur put a hand to his cheek with a harsh giggle.

 _Who was that lass comin' out the door a little after three_?

_Ah, yer drunk, yer drunk, ya silly drunk lass, he says ya canna see._

_That's a English tax collector sent over by the Queen._

_Well, it's many days I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,_

_But an English lass who can last like me, sure I never saw before!_

Arthur laughed hysterically and people cheered at the joke towards the English. The band finished the music and everybody began to applaud. Lilly took a bow and Arthur lifted her in his arms, spinning her around as his arms held her back. It made her laugh and giggle. He kissed her neck as he set her back down.

"How come you weren't singin' the way you usually...hmmm, you usually do?" he asked.

"Hell if I know, but it was great!" Lilly exclaimed with happiness.

"Ah, singin' like an angel ain't all that bad, is it?"

"Not when no one can move or enjoy it."

"Oh, they, theytheythey enjoy it. But...at least you don't have that problem with me, hmm?" Lilly grinned as a slow song began to play. "Mmm, dance with me, Mrs. Morgan?"

"Of course."

Arthur held her close and they started to sway as the band began to sing.

_Come over the hills, my bonnie Irish lass_

_Come over the hills to your darling_

_You choose the road, love, and I'll make the vow_

_And I'll be your true love forever_

Arthur put Lilly's arms on the nape of his neck and he kissed her briefly. Lilly smiled at her husband and looked at his light blue eyes.

_Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows_

_Fair is the lilly of the valley_

_Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne_

_But my love is fairier than any_

Lilly stroked his face with a finger. This was a happy time for them and Lilly was grateful for her second chance at life with the love of her life. There was nothing that would separate her from Arthur again, not even Death itself. Well, realistically, they'd both die eventually, but Lilly hoped they were both old and weary from life by the time death came to knock on their door.

_'Twas down by Killarney's green woods that we strayed_

_When the moon and the stars they were shining_

_The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair_

_A_ _nd she swore she'd be my love forever_

Lilly caressed her nose with Arthur's and chuckle. It tickled a bit. "What are you doin'?" he asked.

"Just bein' happy," she said. "Incandescently happy."

_Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows_

_Fair is the lilly of the valley_

_Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne_

_But my love is fairier than any_

_I_ _t's not for the parting that my sister pains_

_It's not for the grief of my mother_

_It's all for the loss of my bonnie Irish lass_

_That my heart is breaking forever_

Arthur started singing the last verse in his low, baritone voice, but only loud enough for her to hear.

_Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows_

_Fair is the lilly of the valley_

_Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne_

_But my love is fairier than any_

The song ended and everyone clapped. A fast paced jig began to sound throughout the room and Lilly went back to their table while Arthur walked over to the band. Lilly finished a pint of Guinness before going for a refill. Patrick followed Lilly.

"Yer man still hasn't drunk me, hmm, under the table yet, lass," he joked.

With a playful roll of her eyes, Lilly got her refill of Guiness, drinking it quickly as she raised a brow at Patrick. "Ya still on about that, Patrick?"

"Yes." Patrick got his own refill. "Look, look look look," he set a hand on Lilly's shoulder as he slurred. "I know years have gone by, but ya hafta understand that...we need to do this."

"Why? Why can't ya accept that I'm not changin' me mind? I love...oof, I love Arthur and that's the bloody end of it!"

"Why don't we go outside and talk about this? I canna hear a damn bloody thing and this is important."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Fiiiiiine," she uttered. She called for her pups and they padded through the crowd to her. "Let's go."

Lilly grabbed her glass and guided Patrick through the people to the stairs.

* * *

When Arthur was done talking to the band, he couldn't find Lilly. He asked Sean and Karen where Lilly went but they had no idea. They'd been too busy enjoying their own night together and Arthur laughed at the newly engaged couple. He went through the room looking for his wife.

* * *

Patrick, Lilly and the wolves got above deck and walked to the railing. Lilly lit a cigarette, sharing it between herself and Patrick. "Okay, what's so important?"

Patrick looked around nervously before speaking. "Why do ya really think I spent all this time trying tah find you?"

"I dunno, because ya love me?" Lilly laughed.

"I do, but not like _that_ ," Patrick chuckled. "Yer family tah me, Lilly. Ya have always been, both you and Brian. But..." Patrick got closer. "Lilly, ya can't go back tah America. It's too dangerous fer ya there."

"It's dangerous fer anyone there."

"Yes but...god, this is so hard tah say," Patrick turned his back and took a few steps from her. "It's about that man in Saint Denis. Papa. He wants ya bad. He's still got men tryin' tah snatch ya, doesn't he?"

"Yes. The very same men who ya hired to find me. Agent Ross and Agent Milton. Confronted Arthur about a five thousand dollar bounty on his head, then confronted me about a shite ton of money for me capture."

"Not capture. Protect. Fer twenty thousand dollars."

"Uh huh. But Papa? He posted eighty. And Uncle Levi posted fifty."

"Uncle Levi? Ya mean Uncle Leviticus?"

"The very same. He did it for good reasons, though. Thought I'd been kidnapped years ago and wanted tah save me."

Patrick looked at the water and started laughing. "Oh my God! That's funny! As if you'd stay kidnapped fer fifteen years."

Lilly smacked Patrick on the back and laughed with him. "Ah shit, but...he's the one that got us on first class, ya know. So, I take it he'll be removin' the price on me."

"I hope so. But, Lilly, I want tah ask ya about Saint Denis."

Lilly sighed. "I may or may not answer, but go ahead."

"Did ya really kill fifty three men? Did they really name ya The Fidus Et Audax Hunter?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Fer Brian. Papa killed Brian, so I killed fifty three of his men. And the number still doesna compare tah how much I loved me brother. I wanted tah kill more of his bloody men."

"And ya were only seven at the time?"

"Yeah."

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, how did ya get so lethal?"

Lilly sighed and leaned her back against the railing, crossing her arms in the process. This was not something she was ready to discuss, but she wanted to explain why it was difficult. "Patrick, the things that man...that..." Lilly's lip trembled. "He made me do things, Patrick. Horrible, awful things. Things that I will never tell another soul. Not even Sean knows. Brian never knew either."

Patrick held up her chin. "What did he do?"

Lilly frowned at Patrick. "...I...I can't talk about it. I refuse tah talk about it tah anyone." Lilly turned and walked away from Patrick.

* * *

Arthur sighed and walked up to Patrick. "Patrick."

The man next to Arthur huffed. "Arthur."

"She's been through way too much," Arthur said. "She was really messed up as a kid. We never knew why. I know some of it and I can only imagine what that bastard did to her, but if I ever meet him, I'll beat the shit outta him and shove him off a very high mountain."

"Same here. Is Lilly going tah be alright?"

"No. She always gets upset about her past and it makes her prone to night terrors."

"She still has those?" Patrick asked curiously.

Arthur looked at Patrick with a sigh. "Mmhmm. About Papa and Brian, sometimes about the rest of her family too. What were hers about back in Ireland?"

"Some men tying her down."

"Jesus Christ."

"Lilly was always troubled but she always handled it well in front of others. She hid so much of herself from others," Patrick recalled. "Except Brian and me. Brian and I were best mates. I hated it when they left." Patrick sighed, shoving his hands in his pants pockets. "Well, shall we go see if she's alright?"

"Yes. Let's." The men walked along the deck. "So, what's this about Saint Denis and Papa?"

"He wants Lilly all fer himself."

Arthur laughed. "Over my dead body."

"Mine too."

Arthur looked at Patrick. "You really want Lilly as your wife?"

"No. I mean yes. I love the girl but not like you do. She was more like a little sister tah me, but if I marry her, Papa can't get her."

"So you're just lookin' out for her."

Patrick looked at Arthur. "Yes. But it seems tah me she's covered, what with her super human strength and her husband looking after her."

Arthur cackled. "I'm more like Lilly's back up."

"Ha! I don't doubt it."

Arthur spotted Lilly on a bench and pointed. She was fiddling with her hands, and the sight made Arthur smile. It was the only vulnerability she allowed to show, whether or not it was an unconscious act. It was more like a tick or a quirk that he thought was endearing. Arthur sat down next to Lilly and kissed her. "I was lookin' for you, bhean céile. Everythin' okay?" _[wife.]_

"Yeah. Just, uh, just thinkin'," Lilly said as she leaned against Arthur.

Arthur put an arm around her. "Hmm. Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," Lilly mumbled.

"Okay. Well, you wanna talk about anythin'?"

"Stop handlin' me, Arthur. You know I hate that."

Arthur chortled. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Patrick sat on the other side of Lilly. "Wanna go drinkin'?" Patrick asked. "We still got loads of drinking to get done, lass."

"I think I want to go to bed," Lilly sighed.

"Hmm. You want me to set up your tea?" Arthur asked.

"No, but I will take some of that herb stuff."

"What herb stuff?" Patrick asked.

Arthur sighed and pulled out the velvet bag. "I don't think you should be smokin' this, but you're gonna do it anyway, I'd imagine."

"What's it gonna do? Kill me?" she laughed.

Arthur cackled at the joke. "Probably not but there's no guarantee you'll come back to life if you do."

"I'll take my chances," Lilly growled and grabbed the bag. "Any of ya got a pipe or anythin'?"

"What is that stuff?" Patrick asked.

"It's for her nerves. Sean called it cannibas." Arthur reached into his satchel and pulled out a wooden pipe. "I bought this for you today, Lilly. Here, let me put the stuff in. You're horrible at makin' cigarettes, I doubt you'll be any better at pipe stuffin'."

Lilly sighed in irritation and handed the bag to Arthur. "You're lettin' her smoke cannibas? Lilly!" Patrick snapped.

"I already had it once. It was amazin'!" Lilly chuckled. "You should try it. Maybe the marriage stick up yer arse will finally fall out!"

"Lillian Rose!" Patrick snapped.

"Ha!" Arthur cackled loudly as he put some of the herb in the pipe. "Lilly, you're such a shit. Here, but just one puff. I don't want you bouncin' off the walls like you were earlier."

Lilly rolled her eyes and put the pipe in her mouth. "Thank you."

Lilly lit a match but Patrick took her matches away. "Lillian! Ya canna be doing drugs! Yer a-"

"Countess? Blah blah, feckin' blah. Why is it ya both call me Lillian when yer cross or tryin' tah scold me?"

"We both do that?"

"Yes!" Lilly found a new set of matches. "Now dunna take this from me or I'll shove me new pipe up yer arse along with that marriage stick!" Lilly lit the pipe and took the smoke in. "Oh, Jesus mother fuckin' Christ," she said with a cough.

Arthur laughed again. "You and your mouth."

"Yes," Lilly coughed loudly and gave Arthur the pipe. "Me and me mouth." A broad smile spread on her face. "Ooohh boy. Such a lovely herb, that is. Try some."

Arthur. "Nope. This is yours and I am not tryin' it."

"Fiiiiine," Lilly sighed and kissed Arthur. "I'm ready fer me bed time, sweet guardian of mine."

Arthur laughed once more and got her up. Patrick and Arthur escorted Lilly back through the ship and to their room. Behind closed doors, Arthur helped her into a night shift before putting her to bed. Brian and James snuggled up with her. Arthur offered Patrick a drink from the personal bar in the sitting room. Patrick accepted and asked for brandy.

"Not going back downstairs?" Patrick asked.

"Nope," Arthur said as he poured two glasses and handed one to Patrick. "She could have a night terror still. Then I'll have to make her tea."

"What kind of tea?" Patrick inquired as he took a drink.

"Chamomile. With..." Arthur paused for a moment, deciding whether or not to continue the sentence. "...with a sedative. I hate doin' it, but she gets so frazzled afterwards. I'm sure you know that, though."

"Her parents gave her somethin' similar, poor girl. I can only imagine how bad it gets as an adult."

"Oh, she hasn't had one in years, but...I don't like takin' chances with things like that. The past has a tendency to come back and really mess with her head."

"Is that why she won't talk about Saint Denis?"

"Yeah."

"Does she talk about anythin' else?" Patrick took a sip.

"Mmhmm," Arthur hummed. "She never mentioned how her family died until recently, heh. So much has happened in a month. We'd only been courtin' for a few weeks before she and I were handfasted."

"Really? Why?"

Arthur paused before taking a drink. "We felt it was a good idea at the time. We still do."

"Arthur, I think ya both should stay in Ireland for good. That Papa fella is still looking fer her, as ya know. But the things I've heard..."

"Yes, I know all about her...serial killin' phase. Sean told me everythin' _he_ knew about Saint Denis, but even he doesn't know everythin'."

They both finished off the brandies and Arthur poured again. "How did you two meet?" Patrick asked.

"Ha, well, that's...that's a hell of a story.

* * *

_Twenty-two year old Arthur Morgan in his summer gunslinger attire was strolling down the street after finishing his breakfast. He was at the corner when he saw a child with long auburn hair running in his direction from across the street. She stepped onto the road just as a raging carriage came rolling down the street. He immediately darted across, snatched her up and moved to the sidewalk, cradling her as the carriage flew by. He looked down at the frig_ _htened girl._

_"You okay, kid?" he asked with a smile_.

_It was her big sapphire blue eyes that struck him first. They looked older than Arthur guessed she was, as if she'd seen so much in her short time._ _She looked around, frightened out of her mind, he assumed. Suddenly she scrambled out of the his arms and raced across the street...again...towards the theatre that was being built. As she burst through the doors, Arthur saw the two men she was running from. By some unknown urge he ran in front of the building and stopped them._

_"And where are you two goin'?" he asked in a threatening tone._

_"That girl stole my watch!" The guy with an eye patch said. "Now get out of our way!"_

_"I don't think so," Arthur chuckled. "The poor girl is obviously scared of you. Maybe I can get your watch back for you."_

_"You don't get it!" the other man said. "She ran away from her father and she needs to be returned!"_

_"Oh. So which story is true? The stolen watch or the runaway daughter?" Something seemed off about these two gentlemen and Arthur couldn't just let them have her. He didn't know why he was being so protective all of a sudden but it felt like the right thing to do._

_"Both! Now get!" The second man went to knock the young man away but Arthur countered with a punch to the face. A fist fight ensued and Arthur managed to get them to run with their tails tucked between their legs._

_"Now why do I get the feeling that could have been avoided?" Arthur heard Hosea behind him as Arthur picked up his hat._

_"They were chasin' after some kid. Didn't feel right. She's in here," Arthur replied, pointing to the construction of a building._

_"Ah, Dutch," Hosea said happily. "Seems our boy here has a damsel in distress to save._ _"_

_Dutch came walking up and laughed. "Let me guess. Little red headed girl in raggedy clothes runnin' from two men?"_

_"How did you guess?"_

_"She ran into me earlier. Glad you dealt with them, Arthur. They seemed sneaky."_

_Arthur smiled. "Well, let's go see if we can get the story straight."_

_Arthur opened the doors with the two men. He looked about the unfinished theater and grinned. It was coming together nicely._

_"Arthur, you're sure she ran in here?" Dutch asked._

_"Yeah. Poor kid was frightened out of her skull," Arthur answered._

_"Did those men say anythin'? Why they were chasin' her?" Hosea asked. "...before you beat the shit out of 'em?"_

_"Ha! Somethin' about her stealin' some watch and takin' her home to her father," her rescuer said. "But-"_

_"I did NOT steal it! Those bastards stole it from me! I took it back! And I ain't goin' back to that mother fuckin' place!" Arthur heard the Irish accent of a child echo through the place._

_"God, what a mouth on her," Arthur whispered. He was amused to say the least. But where did the voice come from? "Keep her talkin', Dutch." Arthur went walking down the aisles looking for a rag doll of a kid._

_Dutch laughed. "Good for you, kid. Oh, you uh, you almost knocked me over outside the saloon."_

_"...I beg yer pardon, but I was in a wee bit of a feckin' rush!" she yelled angrily._

_Yep. Arthur crouched down in front of the hole under the stage. "Hey there, kid. You okay? They didn't hurt you or anythin'?"_

_"...I'm fine, thank ya very much."_

_"Good to hear it," he smiled. He sat down Indian style. "So, uh, we weren't introduced. I'm Arthur Morgan."_

_"...me name is Lilly."_

_"Ah, like the flower! That's so-" Arthur heard a noise before Lilly burst out of the hole, tackled him, and hovered over him with what he assumed was a sharp knife to his throat. The girl looked mad as hell and her once frightened eyes were full of a blind rage he didn't expect from a child._

_"Do NOT say that again!" a snarl sounded through her teeth._

_Arthur put his hands up. This kid managed to knock him down. Now he was very amused and he gave her a half smile. "Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, Miss Lilly."_

_"I know," she whispered and removed the blade from his throat. "I won't kill ya fer it, neither." She tilted her head to the side and gave the faintest hint of a smirk. "It'd be a shame tah kill ya, Mr. Morgan. After all," she stood over him. "Yer such a fear álainn."_ _[beautiful man]_

_Arthur looked bemused. "A what?" What the hell was a...far all in?_

_"Uh, I believe she said somethin' about you bein' a man," Hosea interjected._

_"Ya speak Gaeilge, sir?" Lilly asked. Wow. Arthur gaped at her. A dirty mouth but polite? This kid intrigued him._

_Hosea laughed modestly. "Not really, but I do recognize the language and I know what 'fear' means."_

_"Huh. Well," Lilly sheathed her knife and held out her hand to Arthur. "Do ya need help gettin' up then, fear álainn?"_ _[beautiful man?]_

_Arthur chuckled and took her hand. "Thank you, Miss Lilly."_

_"It seems I owe you a...no, two debts, Mr. Morgan. I should be thankin' ya instead. But uh, ya didn't kill them bastards, did ya?"_

_"No."_

_"Ah, good."_

_Arthur was curious. "Why is that a good thing?"_

_Lilly reached into her side pouch and pulled out an apple. She chomped into it. "Because I'm gonna kill 'em," she said casually as she chewed._

_Arthur spied the apple and looked in his satchel. Son of a bitch, when did she steal his apple? "Hey! That's my apple!"_

_Lilly shrugged. "Really? I don't see yer name on it...unless I ate that part already. Sorry." She held it out to Arthur. "Do ya want it back?"_

_"No thank you," he sighed bitterly. He gave her a dirty look, but really, he was getting more interested by the second. She really was a pickpocket._

_"Now now, Mr. Morgan, don't be gettin' yer knickers in a twist," she eyeballed him. "Yer a criminal too, ain't ya?"_

_"What makes you think that?"_

_"Fer starters? Ya was more concerned about me stealin' yer apple than me talkin' about killin' two full grown men." Lilly reached into her pouch and pulled out two wallets. "Hmm. I got these mixed up. I know one of 'ems yers. The other belongs tah Mr. Fancy Pants over there."_

_With a look of disbelief, he stared at Dutch who started laughing after going through his pockets. "Ha! Son of a bitch!"_

_Lilly took another bite. "I'm returnin' them tah ya both. Now my two debts are paid."_

_Arthur crossed his arms as his eyes expressed more disbelief. "What about my apple?"_

_Lilly took in a deep breath. "Oh fine," she grumbled. She pulled a gold pocketwatch from her pouch. "This yers, too?"_

_Arthur snatched it and stared at it. "What the hell?"_

_Lilly patted his shoulder and walked through the aisle towards the front doors. "Much obliged, gentlemen. Have yerselves a good day."_

_"Wait a minute! Where you goin'?" Arthur barked out. He had more questions. Who was she? Who was her father? Why did she run away? Was she capable of killing two people?"_

_I got two full grown men tah murder," Lilly huffed out and pushed the doors open._

_Arthur burst into laughter when the doors shut. "Holy shit, what a kid she is!" Arthur tossed Dutch his wallet._

_"No kiddin'," Dutch chuckled. "Hey, where's my money?"_

_Arthur looked in his wallet. The money was all gone. That little shit. All three men went running out the door._

* * *

"That is one hell of a story," Patrick said to Arthur with a drunken laugh. "What happened next?"

Arthur toothed his lip with a smile and jerked his head, taking a sharp intake of breath. "That's where the story gets real good."


	24. The Chapel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for mature content.

Lilly woke up the next morning fully rested. That surprised her but what also surprised her was there was no man in her bed. Only the wolves. Well, no sex this morning. The thought made her giggle. There was just something about Arthur that made her want it _all the time_. Lilly didn't understand why. Arthur was just...so manly. Lilly shuddered with glee. Karen came bursting through the door and squealed. Lilly almost jumped to the ceiling from the sound.

"They have a chapel on the ship!" Karen shouted. Karen was in a red dress. Fancy. First class style.

"What?" Lilly asked in a confused voice. Sean came in with a black suit on and they both showed off their wedding rings. Lilly immediately got out bed. "Oh my God! You guys got married?!"

"Yep!" they both said.

Lilly ran to them and hugged them both. "SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH!" her voice boomed.

Sean and Karen covered their ears and the pups yelped. "Ow!" Karen and Sean laughed.

Lilly covered her mouth. "Oops, sorry." All three started laughing into a fit. Lilly and Karen jumped up and down. "Hey, do you know where Arthur is?"

"Yes," they both said happily.

Lilly eyed them both. They were up to something. "...Where is he?"

Karen gave Lilly a folded note. Lilly opened it and grinned.

_Put on a dress and meet me in the first class dining room._ _You know which one I wanna see you in._

_Love,_

_Arthur_

Lilly sighed. "He's havin' breakfast, I'd imagine. Wants me in that blue dress and said you'll-"

Karen snatched Lilly's hand and dragged her to the closet. "Sean, go meet Arthur. We'll be there when she's ready."

* * *

Lilly was in the same navy blue dress from the first day and her hair was done up in curls and a bun similar to Karen's hair. Makeup was added to Lilly's face. Red lips, blue eye shadow, red blush, the works. Lilly had on navy blue heel boots and they were so uncomfortable and hard to walk in. Lilly staggered and stumbled a few times, almost knocking into her wolves, and was certain she was going to break an ankle or some other bone. Like her neck, for example.

"Why couldn't I just wear regular boots?"

"To get used to the type you're wearin'."

"Why?"

Karen stopped her and dragged her to the side. "Alright, Arthur and Sean are just inside. I need to go get somethin', but I'll be back."

Lilly yanked Karen's arm. "Don't ya dare make me walk in there in this get up. I'm scared outta me god damn wits!" Lilly hissed.

"You'll be fine." Karen peeked into the fancy dining room. "Look, there they are."

Lilly peeked in and smiled. Sean, Arthur and Patrick were all in tuxedos eating breakfast with a bunch of other men. There were some women at the table, too. "As ucht Dé, Karen, I...I can't do this."

"Yes you can. You're the bravest girl I know. Now go on."

"Karen! No!" Karen shoved her into the doorway and went scampering off. "Karen!"

Lilly shut her eyes and brushed herself off, looking into the room timidly. Taking a deep breath, Lilly made her way through the room slowly with Brian and James. All conversation began to cease as she walked by and Lilly immediately hated the stares she got, although she was sure most of them were because of her wolves. Arthur spotted her and smiled brightly, getting up to walk to her.

"Ah, there she is," he said as he approached. "Dia, féachann tú go maith le hithe. _[God, you look good enough to eat.]_

Lilly smiled at him. "An é sin an fáth ar dhúisigh mé le leaba folamh? Bhí mé ag súil le bricfeasta." _[Is that why I woke up with an empty bed? I was expecting breakfast.]_

"Breakfast?"

Lillt ahemed and glanced at his groin for a very brief moment. "Yes," her eyes met his with a look of lust. "Breakfast."

Arthur cocked his head and kissed her neck. "You're such a minx, mo grá." The men stood up as Arthur helped Lilly to her seat. "Breathnaíonn tú radanta," he whispered. "Raibh mé in ann focáil tú anseo ar an tábla." _[You look radiant. I could fuck you right here on the table.]_

"Ansin ba chóir duit fanacht sa leaba ar maidin," Lilly whispered as she sat down. _[Then you should stay in bed in the morning.]_

Arthur sat next to her and chuckled. "Yes, sorry mo stór. I had other things to attend to." _[my darling.]_

"What has gotten into you?" Lilly mumbled.

"So, Countess, how are you liking the ship so far?" one of the women asked. She had brown hair and kind blue eyes.

"Very well, thank you."

"Mrs. Maura Black. Her and her husband, uh, they're from Denver, if I remember right?" Sir Patrick said.

"Yes, that's right."

Lilly blinked and looked at the woman. "You're...you're Maura Black? The activist?" Lilly heard so much about her.

"The very same," Maura smiled and sipped her drink. "You've heard of me or my husband?"

"Have I ever! I've read so much about you! Your charity work, your women's rights activism, your thoughts on going into the Senate! I'm...I'm honored to meet you, Mrs. Black!"

Maura laughed. "Well thank you, Mrs. Morgan. Your husband tells me you're a bit of an women's rights activist yourself, so I insisted on meeting you for myself. And..." Maura leaned in a bit. "Níl díomá orm." _[I'm not disappointed.]_

Lilly blushed. "I forgot you speak Gaeilge, ma'am, my apologies."

Arthur blushed too and Maura laughed. "Oh, no harm done. Joseph and I speak Gaeilge in public. Often," Maura said with a wink. "Isn't that right, sweet pea?" she said, patting the man next to her.

"Yes, dear, we do," he smiled warmly at her. "But I'm glad you could find a kindred spirit here on The Pearly Gates."

Lilly and Maura conversed about politics all through the courses of breakfast, and Lilly ordered raw meat for her boys. Maura asked how she managed to get such docile wolves and Lilly regaled most of the story while leaving out certain details. Nontheless, Maura was dazzled by the tale.

"You are a very resourceful young woman. And how did your husband and fathers react to your return?" Maura asked

"Oh, they were absolutely ecstatic. I was told Arthur was practically out of his mind with worry, but...then I took down a bear a day later and-" Lilly was interrupted.

"You took down a bear?!" Maura gasped.

"Yes. A grizzly bear, but I had help. That's how I met my two boys again," Lilly said as she motioned to her now full wolves.

"You are quite a young lady, Mrs. Morgan, I must say!"

"You killed a grizzly bear. With your wolves," Mr. Black said with skepticism. "I don't believe it."

"I do," Arthur said in a stern tone. "I saw her do it."

Lilly sighed. "You saw me standin' over the bear. You didn't see the...whole..."

Arthur wiggled his brows and his eyes sparkled knowingly. "I did, actually."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "You watched the whole thing and didn't bother to help me?"

"You had it covered. Besides, Charles wouldn't let me help. Told me not to interfere."

"Well, wait...how much did you see?"

* * *

_Arthur and Charles had just finished loading up their kills when they heard a bear roaring. Arthur immediately panicked. "Lilly!"_

_He mounted his horse and immediately went galloping through the heavy snow. Charles followed behind him with Taima and Lilly's temporary horse._

_"Fuck! Arthur! Charles! Where are ya? Are ya fuckers deaf?!" Arthur heard her shout._

_"Hang on Lilly, I'm-"_

_"Hey you! Yeah, I'm talkin' tah you, ya big dumb twat! Don't ya make me come down there because I'll skin ya alive_ _!"_

_Arthur stopped and laughed quietly. Charles caught up to him and they both got down off their mounts before grabbing their guns. They both ran through the snow and they heard a tree fall. They spotted Lilly drawing her knives and staring down a grizzly bear. Arthur went to shoot but Charles lowered Arthur's gun. "Just wait. I think she's got this."_

_Arthur gaped at Charles. "Are you outta your god damn mind? I'm not just gonna stand by and-"_

_"Yeah, that's right, ya fuck. Ya want tah kill me? Then yer gonna hafta work fer it!"_ _Lilly shouted._

_Arthur saw the bear was being hesitant and his jaw relaxed. Was the bear actually scared of her? It seemed so. He kept his repeater in his hands, growling in anticipation._

_"You better be right about this, Charles," he snarled._

_He didn't think Lilly could do it, but just her taunt alone was enough to make him hope for the best._ _Arthur watched in fear as the love of his life and the bear moved in on each other. When the bear swiped its claws and Lilly jumped back with a slash of her knife, he tensed and relaxed. His heart was pounding as he watched the ensuing showdown behind a pine tree._

_"Yer gonna hafta do better than that, boyo. Now come on! I ain't got all day, ya smelly bastard!"_ _Lilly snarled almost happily. Arthur was in awe of her bravery, her mouth and her battle prowess. God, what a woman. He went to his knees. Could she really take on a bear that size?_ _The bear swiped again but Lilly ducked and stabbed the back of its paw. Lilly yanked it out and the bear roared out in pain. Blood spattered the snow and it licked the wound. Lilly released a low chuckle for this small victory._ _"That's right! I got claws too! Now come and get me, ya snivelin' milksop!"_

_Yep. The object of his affection, his charge, his protégé, his Lilly, was egging on a grizzly bear when she was only armed with knives. And he could only watch in amazement._

_Just then he heard a howling in the distance. The animal and the woman took a gander in the direction of the sound._ _Arthur looked as well._

_"Fuckin' hell," Arthur heard Lilly groan_.

_Two gray wolves were running full speed at them and Lilly took a few steps back. Wolves? What the hell? As they got closer, the giant bear roared and charged them and the wolves immediately attacked the bear. The bigger threat released a loud bellow when one wolf jumped on it and clamped its teeth into the fur and flesh of the bear's neck. The other leapt out of the bear's path and attacked its back leg. The three engaged in a battle armed with sharp teeth and claws. Lilly looked around for her bow and quiver._ _When Lilly saw what she was looking for, Arthur and Charles ducked back to avoid being spotted. Lilly seemed too distracted to notice them, though, and she sl_ _id to grab her bow and arrows. Arthur smiled when Lilly took her shot. The arrow embedded itself into the bear's shoulder. The wolves were doing a fine job of slowing down Lilly's quarry. Lilly began her journey across the field of snow while arming her bow and shooting arrows one by one. Each shot punctured the bear's skin and it roared and bellowed. The wolves persevered with the onslaught. Blood streaked across the snow. Arthur had no idea whose blood was spilling._

_Charles and Arthur slowly tailed Lilly, still keeping themselves hidden behind the trees. Lilly's quiver was now empty. Arthur could tell the giant grizzly was losing the battle. Lilly unsheathed her knives again_ _and as she ran to join the fight, Arthur blinked a few times. Why was she not running away?_ _Lilly ran to close the distance between her and the wild predators. Snarls, barks, roars and growls emanated from the fight almost like a symphony. The wolves weren't the worse for wear, which shocked the hell out of him as they got closer. The bear, on the other hand, was getting seriously fucked up. It would slash and swing its claws and the wolves always dodged it. Arthur knew the fur was going to be useless but the food would be more than enough for their starving group. When Lilly took a running jump and stabbed her knives into the bear's back, it roared out and tried to shake her off but Lilly hung on. Arthur rubbed his face with a gloved hand._

_"I can't believe it. She's killin' a god damn bear!"_

_"I'll go get the horses," Charles said with a smile. "I think she's good here."_

_Lilly kept stabbing the bear over and over as Charles left with a chuckle. Arthur_ _stood frozen as the battle, previously one of survival, was now a matter of killing for food._

_"Yer a tough mother fucker, ain't ya!?" she yelled._

_Arthur guffawed quietly. It was more accurate to say that Lilly was the toughest out of the two._ _Lilly climbed higher with her knives as her body flailed back and forth from the sporadic motions of the weakening bear. Lilly found a good spot to settle and raised her knives up. She gave a shout of exertion and plunged the blades into the neck. Another pained bellow echoed through the air before the animal finally went down. Lilly's chest heaved almost violently as the bear took its last breath. The wolves, covered in blood and drool, came up to her sides. An exhausted laugh was drawn from her body as she looked at herself. Lilly was soaked with blood._

_"Ha! Well, this'll be a bitch tah wash out!" The wolves nuzzled her arms and she patted them both. Huh. Arthur figured they were her wolves from the cave. "Thank ya fer savin' me life, ya wee oddball chiselers." The wolves noticed him and suddenly took off. "Hey! Where ya goin?" she shouted._

_Arthur heard Charles come up with the horses. "See?" Charles whispered. "I told you she could handle herself."_

_"That you did, but let's not tell her we just stood by and watched. She might kill us next," Arthur joked._

_"Agreed."_

_"_ _Lilly! What the hell happened?"_

_With a pivot at the waist, Lilly smiled as she spotted Arthur and Charles with the horses. "Told ya. I was goin' huntin'_ _," Lilly put simply._

_Arthur knew he'd never find another woman like Lilly. Not in a million years. The way she taunted the bear and took it down, only to simply say she was going hunting settled it for Arthur. To hell with the age difference and to hell with feeling like a dirty old man. Arthur was going to make Lilly his woman that very day._

* * *

Lilly definitely wanted to kill her husband, but instead of making a scene, she smirked at him. "And to think...you were so worried about me at the beginning of that," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't know you watched, Arthur!" Karen yelped. "Shame on you!" she chuckled. Lilly wondered when Karen had gotten back to them.

The rest of the breakfast went smoothly and Lilly kept talking with Maura all the way through. Mostly about politics, but Lilly mentioned her estate Darach ar an gCnoc and Maura exclaimed excitedly how much she'd love to see it.

"Well, you and your husband are more than welcome to stay with us before you begin your tour of Europe."

"Oh, that would be wonderful! How many bedrooms do you have?"

"Hmm." Lilly had to think about that for a moment. "I think ten, if I recall correctly? Or was it twelve?" Arthur almost choked on his drink and Lilly smirked at him. "What?"

"I didn't know the place had that many rooms." Arthur said, brushing off the liquid from his tux.

"Oh, those are just the bedrooms. We have a huge library, two studies, three sitting rooms, one giant kitchen, a dining room, a ballroom, a gun room, a music room...hmm, you know what? I'll just show you when we get there."

"Your husband hasn't seen it?" Joseph asked.

"No, and I haven't been there in seventeen years. It's a long story, one that I..." Lilly stopped. She didn't want to be rude. "Well, it's a very long and traumatic story so I'd much rather not get into it, if it's all the same to you, Mr. Black."

Joseph frowned but nodded. "Not an issue, Mrs. Morgan. Has it been maintained, however?"

"Yes. An old friend of the family has been keeping it maintained for my return."

"I see."

Breakfast was now over and Lilly felt quite full. The food was different than what she was used to but it had been delightful and filling. Lilly excused herself from the table and reiterated the Black's invitation to Darach ar an gCnoc before leaving the room with Brian and James tailing her.

* * *

Arthur sighed and looked at the married couple. "I do apologize for her leavin', but we don't usually talk about her past. She went through too much at a very young age."

"Does she have family beside you and her fathers?" Maura asked.

"Well, they're her adoptive fathers, but no. We're all she has. The rest of her family are deceased."

"I see. Poor child."

"If you'll excuse me, I better go check on her. She uh, doesn't react well to her memories, either." Arthur got up and left the room to go find Lilly. He didn't have to go far when he found her just outside in a sitting chair with Brian and James laying at her feet. She was fidgeting again. Arthur approached behind Lilly and put his hands on her shoulders. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Just...you know," she uttered. "I really wish I could stop bein' so...so..."

Arthur sat down next to her and nudged her shoulder. "I know, but...I do have somethin' in mind that just might make you feel better."

She smiled at him, although Lilly still had a sad gleam in her eyes. "You do?"

Arthur smirked. "Uh huh." He put an arm around her. "They have a chapel on the ship here."

"Yeah. Apparently Karen and Sean got married."

"They did. So, I was thinkin'..." he pulled out two gold wedding bands from his pocket. "We should do the same."

Lilly blinked at him. "But what about Da and Athair? And Patrick?"

Arthur laughed lightly. "Oh, Patrick and I had a nice chat after putting you to bed. He's done with tryin' to force you into marriage."

"...How did you convince him to get the marriage stick outta his arse?" Lilly asked, the tone of doubt apparent in her voice.

Arthur laughed again. "Well, I told him about how we met and he was," Arthur began to nod. "...very moved by it."

"I see." Lilly hmphed with surprise and leaned her head on his shoulder. "But Da and Athair?"

"Oh, they'll understand. Besides, we can use the money for a reception. After you sell the estate."

"Arthur...I...I'm not sure I want to do it."

Arthur froze. "The marriage or sell the estate?"

"The estate, ya silly man. It's my family home. And in case you forgot, I need to get my family's watch back. That's my main concern, but sellin' my title and Darach ar an gCnoc...I haven't been there for a long time and now that I'm goin' to see it again, I just don't know if I can do it."

"But it's worth a million dollars, Lilly! We could really use that money!"

"I know..." Lilly sat up straight and sighed. "Could ya not shout, please?"

Arthur felt too upset not to shout. He understood her hesitation but was something she barely remembered worth more than the well being of her family? He stood up. "We should go to the room for this discussion, then. I have a feeling both of us are goin' to shout."

He looked down at her and saw anger. "Oh, we're gonna be doin' more than shoutin' if ya expect a fight from me about me own god damn home!" she snapped.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you threatenin' me, woman?" Arthur snapped back.

Lilly stood up angrily. "Ya damn right I am. Now let's go so we don't cause a scene! Brian, James, let's go!" Lilly and the wolves stormed down the corridor and Arthur pocketed the rings.

When they got back to the room, Arthur slammed the door shut. "Are you out of your mind?!" he shouted.

"If bein' sentimental about me childhood home is crazy, then yes!" she shouted back. The boys barked at them and Lilly sighed. "Go lay down, pups!"

Brian and James whimpered and went on the bed. Lilly dragged Arthur to the sitting room and was about to slam the doors but paused. Arthur realized she'd break them with the force of her strength and she shut them gently.

"I can't believe your havin' second thoughts about this," Arthur said. "I thought you wanted this for all of us."

"I thought I did too. But I figure somethin'. What if we bring everyone else here? We'd all be safe here, Arthur. Besides," she smiled and crossed the room to him. "Doesn't the idea of bein' an Earl appeal to you?"

Arthur blinked. He hadn't considered that. "...An Earl? Me?"

"We marry legally and you're automatically an Earl. Still, I'd be the head of the estate but you'd be my husband, Arthur Morgan, second Earl of Moycullen."

Arthur chortled nervously. "You're serious?"

Lilly nodded. "Uh huh," she breathed with a doting smile. "Quite serious, mo chuisle."

Arthur took off his jacket. The though of being an Earl immediately became a power trip. "So, if you're m'lady, what would I be?"

Lilly undid his bowtie and disheveled his collar. "M'lord," she replied. "Would you like me to start callin' you that...m'lord?"

Arthur felt his body temperature rise. "Yes, m'lady..."

Lilly started undoing his buttons. "So, what would you like to do right now, m'lord?" Lilly stared up at him with lustful blue eyes. "What would you like...to do...to me, m'lord?"

Arthur smiled. "Well," he got down on one knee and took out the wedding bands. "I'd like you to make me a proper lord and marry me." Lilly nodded with a grin. He got up and kissed her. "Then I'd like to celebrate, then I'd like to consummate our marriage."

"Mmm, and when would you like me to make you a proper Earl, mo grá?" _[my love?]_

"Two hours. Meet me in two hours at the chapel."

"Is this the thing you had to attend to this mornin'?"

"Yes. That and a few other things."

"Such as?"

"Your weddin' dress, but Karen took care of that. I wasn't allowed to look at it."

Lilly looked amused. "That explains her leavin' this mornin'. Are we havin' a reception, then?"

"Yes. Just a small one in third class. The boys down there loved your singin' and want to hear your version of "Seven Drunken Nights" again."

This made her laugh. Arthur loved hearing her laugh. "Hmm. Maybe it was because I was drunk that my...siren-ness didn't work."

"Maybe. Now," Arthur kissed her hands tenderly. "Will you marry me in two hours?" he asked.

"Yes."

Arthur smiled, kissed her once more, then left the room. "See you then, mo bean chéile." _[my wife.]_

"See ya then, mo fear céile." _[my husband.]_

* * *

In the chapel dressing room, Karen helped Lilly into her wedding dress. The toilette was in white satin and dotted tulle. The slightly slender taffeta skirt was covered with two tulle skirts. The top skirt was adorned with ruched gauze blue ribbons sewn into spirals. On the tulle skirts was placed a pointed satin tunic, bordered with a tulle ruffle ending in sapphire blue ribbons, and lined with Louis XV knots in sapphire blue ribbons adorned with silver glitter. The loops were filled in part satin, part tulle. Similar knots in sapphire blue framed the lining of the satin blouse, opening on the edge. The opening frames tulle ruffled and small sleeves were puffed in tulle. Lilly had on long white silk gloves that reached her upper arms. Lilly's neck was adorned with an intricate array of celtic knotted silver plated chains with a trinity circlet in the middle. It housed a dark blue spherical sapphire. It had belonged to Lilly's late mother Abigail O'Callaghan. Lilly's auburn hair was in small and medium celtic braids with a large one circling around the crown of her head. The veil was long, reaching the train of her dress and was made from white lace. She had white powder applied to her face and neck, pink rouge to her cheeks, red rose dyed her lips, and her eyebrows had been groomed and darkened along with her eyelids and eyelashes. The woman in the mirror was not one Lilly recognized.

"...Oh my God, Karen. I look like an actual woman," Lilly said with a laugh.

"You do!" Lilly and Karen giggled hysterically. "Oh! We can't forget the bouquet!" Karen handed Lilly a bouquet of blue dyed roses and white lillies.

Lilly chuckled. "Did you plan out the colors of everythin'?" Lilly asked.

"Of course I did. You can't leave weddin' coordinations to the men! It'd be a disaster!"

Lilly and Karen laughed and sighed. "Well, I suppose I better go down the aisle, now. God I'm frightened out of my mind! I'm going to be Mrs. Morgan! Legally!"

"I was frightened too, Lilly, but when I saw Sean at the end, I was too happy to be scared!" Karen helped with Lilly's white and blue laced high heeled slippers and Lilly found them hard to walk in but she eventually got to walking. The chapel was just a regular old one, nothing fancy. Just a few wooden benches on the bride and grooms' sides, and everything else was white. The altar had a white arch with white plaster flowers carved into it with two white columns to hold it up. There was a white piano near the front and a priest at the end of the aisle. Karen smiled at Lilly. "Okay, now, you gotta hide in this room here. Can't let the groom see you yet. I'll get you when we're ready."

Lilly went into a room and shut the door. She paced back and forth, glancing at herself in the mirror every so often. She really was beautiful. lt made her feel giddy and awkward at the same time. Oh. The veil. Lilly adjusted the veil over her face, reciting the vow she chose to make.

"I vow you the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine. From this day it shall only be your name I cry out in the night..." The last part made her giggle. "...and into your eyes that-"

There was a knock on the door. "Lilly? Are ya decent, love?" she heard Patrick say.

"Of course I'm decent. Come in, ya silly dolt!"

Patrick laughed and opened the door. He was in a very nice black suit with his hair slicked back. When he looked at Lilly, his face flushed. "Is fís thú, tá mo chroí fós! Lilly, ya...wow!" _[You are a vision, my heart is still!]_

Lilly laughed and sniffled. "Thank you. I...oh God, I'm so nervous."

Patrick smiled and crossed the room. "Arthur is going tah faint!"

Lilly laughed harder. "No he won't. But...ha, if he does, yer gonna hafta stand in his stead," she joked.

"I wish I was standing in his stead anyway, you're so beautiful. But...seeing as how I am the closest tah a relative ya have, me ex fianceé, I'll have tah walk ya down the aisle meself."

Lilly cocked her head. "Not Sean?"

"He's the best man. But uh, they're waiting fer ya, lass."

Lilly lifted her veil and kissed Patrick on the cheek. "Thank you for honorin' my wishes, Patrick."

"Yer Arthur is a fine man, Lilly. Even if he is an outlaw."

Lilly smirked. "I'm an outlaw too."

"All the more reason fer him tah marry ya. I trust him tah look out fer ya. But are ya still gonna sell Darach? Not that I want it anymore, yet I could still buy it from ya so ya both got money to help with yer gang."

"Actually, we uh...we might not sell it. We might actually bring the gang over here once we have the money. But do not offer anythin'. We can make our own."

Patrick sighed and kissed her forehead. "I bet ya can. Just let me know if ya change yer mind, lass. Always here tah help ya." Patrick hooked her arm and helped with her veil. "Let's go get ya married, then."

Lilly walked out with him to the closed doors of the chapel.

* * *

Arthur clasped his hands in front of him. He was clean shaven, his dirty blonde hair was slicked back, and he wore a black tuxedo with a white rose in his jacket pocket. Sean had the same look and attire. Karen was dressed in a white and blue dress that Arthur imagined was similar to the dress Lilly would be wearing. Karen's hair was with its normal curls. Brian and James were nearby with little black bowties with the wedding bands tied to their bows. The doors of the chapel opened and Arthur looked down to see Patrick bringing his betrothed up the aisle. Arthur's heart stopped. He couldn' believe that was his Lilly, but it was. He went slack jawed and wide eyed before giving a bright, beaming smile of joy at the beauty he was about to marry. As she closed in to the altar, Patrick handed Arthur her hand, kissed her cheek, and sat down on one of the benches.

"Lillian, you...I don't...I..." Arthur stammered.

Lilly giggled. "Just tell me I'm beautiful, let's get married, celebrate, then call it a day," she said with a soft laugh.

"Father, I don't suppose we could skip to the end?" Arthur said to the priest. "I would very much like to kiss her right now, she's so pretty."

Everyone made small laughs and Lilly shook her head in amusement. "Is cac den sórt sin thú." _[You are such a shit.]_

"I know."

The priest stopped laughing and started the ceremony. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered her today to join Arthur Morgan and Lillian Rose O'Callaghan in holy matrimony. Now, on the ship, we keep these things relatively short but I understand you both have vows to share?"

Arthur nodded and took out a piece of paper. "Lillian, ahem..." his hands began to shake. "Ahem, sorry. Lillian, from the day we met, I vowed to be your guardian. I vowed to protect you until the moment of my death, and fifteen years later, that vow still rings true. Throughout those fifteen years, you became my charge, my protégé, my best friend, and the love of my life. Four years ago on the shore of the lake after our, um, O'Driscoll encounter in Wyoming, do you remember what you said?"

Lilly smirked. "I said a lot of things, mo chuisle."

"Yes, but there was one thing in particular. How long you'd been waitin' for me to...ahem...flirt with you. And the...ruinin' you for other prey? That's when I fell in love with you."

Lilly arched a brow. "Really?"

"Mmhmm. Anyway, um...so, we spent four years flirtin', which now I see was preparation for a newly founded relationship. I thought myself too old to have you, but now I know better. You are my soul mate, Lillian, and I will protect and love you in this life and the next...and the next...and the next. So now I ask will you meet me in the circle of pine trees upon the spring snow in each life we have together, mo chuisle, mo stór, mo bean álainn, mo anam maité?" _[my pulse, my darling, my beautiful woman, my soul mate?]_

Lilly smiled happily. "I'll give you the answer in my vow."

Arthur smiled back. "Okay, ahem, my uh...it's your turn, I believe."

Lilly blinked and started her vows. "I vow you the first cut of my meat and the first sip of my wine. From this day on it shall be only your name I cry out in the night, and into your eyes I smile each morning; I shall be the shield for your back as you are mine. Never shall a grievous word be spoken about us, for our marriage is sacred between us and no stranger shall hear my grievance. Above and beyond all this, I will cherish and honor you through this life and into the next...and the next...and the next. And I will meet you in the circle of pine trees upon the spring snow in each life we have together, mo chuisle, mo fear álainn, mo bithiúnach, mo anam maité." _[my pulse, my beautiful man, my reprobate, my soul mate.]_

Arthur smiled at her broadly. "That was good," he chuckled.

The priest smiled and continued. "Do you, Arthur Morgan, take Lillian Rose O'Callaghan to be your wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, now and forever?

Arthur smiled as he held hands with Lilly. "I do."

"And do you, Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, take Arthur Morgan to be your husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, now and forever?"

"I do," Lilly replied.

"The rings, if you please?" Lilly called the boys over and both her and Arthur untied the rings from their bows. Lilly held out her left hand and the priest spoke.

"Put the ring on and recite your promise, Arthur."

Arthur slipped the gold band on Lilly's finger. "Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, as a sign of my love, that I have chosen you above all else, I wed thee."

"Now Lillian, your turn," the priest said.

Lilly put the ring on Arthur's finger. "Arthur Morgan, as a sign of my love, that I have chosen you above all else, I wed thee."

The priest closed his book and sighed. "By the power vested in me on the ship of The Pearly Gates in international waters, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Arthur raised Lilly's veil over her head and took a moment to gaze at her before kissing her softly. A soft kiss for now, but he was going to enjoy kissing her hard tonight.

* * *

After having dinner in third class, the party began in the same room from the night before. Dancing, singing, Guiness, and whiskey were all part of the celebration. Karen and Sean were also in their wedding party attire and Lilly noticed how similar her dress was to Karen's. It was beautiful. Karen and her danced together a few times, Lilly did her performance of "Seven Drunken Nights," the wolves got scraps from the passengers, and Lilly tried to dance with them but they weren't having any of that nonsense. Karen made sure to remind Lilly of the "present" in the room that Lilly was going to wear and Lilly nodded with a laugh.

"I can't believe ya did that fer me. Ya think he's goin' tah like it?" Lilly asked before taking a sip of Guinness.

"He's goin' to love it! Trust me, and just be your natural flirty self, but really lay it on thick, Little Miss Huntress!" Karen replied.

They both burst into hysterics and they danced again. Lilly's feet were hurting by the time it was dark but as she approached her now legal husband, she did it with a skip or two.

"Arthur, me love?" she giggled.

"Mmhmm? Yes, Mrs. Morgan?" he replied.

"I'm headin' back up. But uh...stay for a bit, don't be too long, and do not get too drunk. I gotta present waitin' fer ya!"

"Oh?" A twinkle in Arthur's eyes almost made her swoon. Arthur pulled her in close, kissing her neck as he did. "And do I get a hint?"

"No, ya silly man."

"Does it involve fuckin' you in this dress?"

"I'm not tellin' ya. I'll meet ya upstairs, though. Patrick said he'd watch the boys fer us tonight, so make sure they get to his room okay?"

"Oh, 'course I will. How long should I wait?"

"Hmm...half an hour?"

"Okay."

Lilly giggled and grabbed Karen. "Okay, let's go get me ready!"

Karen and Lilly waved to everyone before heading up the stairs.

* * *

The wedding dress was on on wire hanger, and Lilly glanced at it. It really was beautiful. Karen had already come and gone to help with her dress and Arthur's 'wedding present'. Lilly stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair still had curls, but it was down and framed around her face. The outfit was stunning. A strapless black and blue corset, without it being too tight around midsection, thank god for that, ending a bit above her chest with a straight chestline. Her breasts were smooshed a bit, giving her a bit of cleavage. The bottom of the corset fit snuggly around her hips, the cloth line ending just below them, just above her thighs, over her womanhood, and a little up into her butt, exposing just a tad bit of her cheeks. The front of the corset had blue buttons spread sparsely from her chest to her navel. Black lacey patterns were embroidered into the material.

The back of her corset was laced up tightly and pretty plain. The material ended over the middle of her shoulder blades. She caught the reflection of her scars in the mirror but she didn't mind them at all. They gave her character; a reminder of her strength and tenacity. There were black, short, suspender-like straps attached at the bottom of the corset. There were four in all. Two in the front, two in the back. The straps held up her black sheer tights, the top of the stretchy fabric covered in intricate and elegant patterns. And her feet. Simple, black, ankle length high heeled shoes. Nothing fancy, but it went great with the outfit. After examining herself, and being surprised at how comfortable the snug corset was, Lilly did a little jump of excitement. She couldn't wait until Arthur came in. Just then Lilly heard noises in the hallway. Arthur was coming. Lilly went to the bedroom, shut the doors, and sat in a red chair backwards, adjusting her auburn locks and resting her forearms over the back of her chair. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard Arthur come in the living room and Lilly stared at the bedroom door, lifting the side of her red rosebud lips into a smirk and narrowing her eyebrows just a tad to try and look seductive.

"Lilly?"

"In the bedroom, mo chuisle!"

"Ha! Okay! Just give me a minute! I brought champagne! I know you said I shouldn't get too drunk, but we gotta have champagne!"

"I agree! Why don't you bring it to the bedroom?"

"Is that where my present is?"

"Yes!" Lilly decided on a change of seating and ran to the bed. "Wait a second!" She sat on the edge facing the doors, leaned back on her hands, and crossed her legs. "Okay! Come in please!"

"Hold on, I gotta, just a...dammit..." Arthur sighed. "I'm tryin' to open the god damn bottle!"

Lilly felt her face muscles tighten, trying not to scowl too much. She got up and opened the doors wide. Arthur's back was to her. "Arthur, you can open it in the bedroom."

"Yes, but I'm...I wanted to bring you a glass before goin' in there."

"Arthur."

"You really missed..." he finally popped the cork and sighed, bringing the bottle and glasses to the table by a red couch. "There we go. One hell of a party. I feel bad you missed it." He poured two glasses of champagne.

Lilly chuckled softly at him, putting her hands behind her back and tilting her head to the side with a small smile. "Arthur?"

"Yep?" Arthur turned around with a smile but when his eyes took her in, he froze. Lilly watched his face turn red, his lips spread open slightly, his eyes go wide and glaze over, and she even noticed he stopped breathing.

"Hello, Mr. Morgan," she said in a thick, alluring Irish accent.


	25. Darach Ar an gCnoc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for sexual content.

Lilly and Arthur maintained eye contact. Arthur was still not breathing. Lilly wanted to laugh so much over his reaction, but she licked her lips instead and leisurely made her way to him with her hips swaying seductively. Lilly went and grabbed her glass, drinking it slowly and moaning in delight.

"Mmm, that's good champagne, mo chuisle. Ya got good taste." Arthur wasn't saying anything. He was simply staring at her in disbelief. Lilly giggled and trailed a finger upwards from his chest to his chin. "Speak."

Arthur swallowed hard and he tugged on his collar. "Lillian," he said, sounding out of breath. He cleared his throat. "Lillian. This is the weddin' present you was on about, I take it?"

"Yes," she cooed at him. "Part of it." Lilly put a hand on her hip and turned around gradually, stopping when her back was to Arthur. She was almost certain her rump would make him turn daft. She spread her legs a little and looked back at him. "Do you like my outfit, Mr. Morgan?"

Lilly smirked when Arthur took a very shaky breath, tilted his head slightly, and wrinkled his forehead in surprise. "Ooooh, I like it very, very much," he cleared his throat again.

She narrowed her eyes suggestively. "Good." She brushed a finger along his lips. "I was hopin' you wouldn't be disappointed."

"Jesus Christ, Lilly," he wheezed out with a chuckle. "You ain't disappointin' no one with this getup."

Lilly made an 'o' with her lips, lifted her eyebrows, and the side of her mouth twitched up. "Ooooh, no one? I didn't know you wanted to share me. Should we go show me off to other people? I bet Patrick would-"

Arthur yanked Lilly against him and grabbed her wrist. "Don't you be jokin' like that, woman! You ain't goin' nowhere!" he laughed.

Lilly flashed her teeth at him. "Yeah, about that..." she shoved Arthur over to the wall and pinned his wrists against it. She got close to his face. Lilly's eyes were bright and somewhat squinted and the corners of her lips were raised. This really brought out the fullness of her lips. "You're the one who ain't goin' nowhere, Mr. Morgan." Arthur seemed to lose his breath again. He looked almost frightened. She chuckled deeply. "You look absolutely terrified, Mr. Morgan."

"I ain't terrified," he said weakly. Yeah, right.

Lilly inclined her head to the side. "Well..." she loosened his bow tie, slipped it off his collar aggressively, and let it drop to the floor. "You should be."

Arthur went slack-jawed once more, gazing at Lilly with eyes bigger than the moon. Lilly wanted to giggle with happiness. She knew Arthur was definitely terrified, obviously speechless, and perhaps even dumbfounded. And when she pressed her body up against him, she could tell he was very much aroused.

"Because," she loosened one button on his vest, then another, then the last one. "Your little minx?" she questioned.

Arthur scrunched up between his eyebrows. "Yes?" looking confused.

Lilly pulled his arms back down, surprised that Arthur had kept them up. She grabbed the shoulders of his tuxedo jacket, pulled him from the door slightly, and yanked it down to his elbows.

"She changed." Lilly looked down, slipped the jacket off his arms, and tossed it behind her. Lilly made eye contact with him again before putting her lips to his ear, placed her palms on the wall, and spoke softly into his ear. "Into an erotic and predacious tiger. And she has a very, very," Lilly sucked on his earlobe then bit it, causing him to flinch. "veeeery hungry pussy."

Arthur's body went limp but he caught himself quickly before he could fall to the floor. He was making this so easy. Easy, fun, and intoxicating. "I need a drink."

Lilly laughed in a sinister sort of way. Lilly pulled Arthur by his vest and directed him towards the bedroom, making him walk backwards and never breaking eye contact. And she took her time with walking, but she grabbed both the glasses and took them with her. "Alright," she said. "But drinkin' ain't gonna make much difference. One way or another, I will have my way with you, Mr. Morgan, and if you don't like it," she stopped him just before the edge of the bed and licked his lips in an upward motion. "I'm gonna make you like it."

She pushed him softly and he plopped down on the bed. She took her drink and handed Arthur the other. She clinked with him, although he just stared up at her with amazed lust in his light blue eyes. Lilly downed the drink then tossed the glass on the bed. With narrowed eyes, an arched lip, and a bending at the waist with her arms crossed behind her back. she spoke with a purr. "There, my handsome play thing. Is that better?"

"I don't know," he answered weakly. "I wasn't expectin'...uh..."

Lilly settled herself onto his legs to straddle him. Once again never breaking eye contact. "Wasn't expectin' what?"

"Well, this..."

"Aww," she pouted at him, pursing her lips out a little. "Don't you like it, Mr. Morgan?"

"Darlin', I am lovin' this, you have no idea," he chuckled.

"I have an inklin'," she giggled. "Now..." Lilly took his glass, drank all the liquid, and threw the glass on the covers. "I could fuck yer brains out but it seems like ya lost 'em, so if ya start talkin' dirty tah me, I'll oblige yer cock and ride ya all the way intah the morn."

"Jesus," he laughed nervously. "You really are a tiger, ain't ya?"

Lilly pushed him over and hovered above him. "Rrrrawwwr," she purred into his ear.

"Hahaa! Such a naughty tiger, Mrs. Morgan," Arthur said before kissing her. "You beautiful, naughty tiger."

Lilly giggled and planted soft kisses all over his neck. "Do ya wantah unwrap yer present now or do ya want me tah have me way while I'm in it?"

"How can you have your way with me if you're in it?"

Lilly sat up and grabbed his hands, guiding them to her womanhood. "Ya can unwrap part of it."

Arthur felt around and smiled. "Seriously?"

Lilly nodded with a giggle and a gasp. "Uh huh."

Arthur pulled the strings and the bottom area loosened around her hips. He put a finger in her, making Lilly moan quietly. Lilly took his other hand and put it to her bosom. He undid one button, then another, then one more and he folded the fabric down to reveal her breasts. "You are one hell of a present."

"Hmm, hehehe. What position would ya prefer?"

Arthur reached for her bosom and held her breasts. "What do you think?" Lilly undressed the rest of him and pulled his pants down before settling over him and directing his tip into her. As she lowered down, Arthur shut his eyes, releasing a chuckle from his throat. He thrust up into her and she gasped, then she began to move her hips to, fro, side to side, up, and down, repeating the motions in whatever way she wanted. Pressing her hands to his chest, she lowered her upper body down and kissed him passionately. Arthur's hands grazed her back and he pushed in and out of her. Lilly increased her speed and Arthur grunted. "Slow, slow...you got me so riled up, Lilly, I'm gonna come...oh shit...oh, the hell with it."

Arthur pushed her up and Lilly bounced up and down on him. It wasn't long until Arthur groaned out loudly and shot up inside her. He growled at her, pulled her down, and kissed her deeply. "If you think I'm done with my present tonight, I'm not."

* * *

The wedding night went on until the early morning. Lilly and Arthur were exhausted from all their love making and slept well past noon. The rest of the voyage went similar. Parties with first class during the day which Lilly enjoyed because Maura and her became fast friends, drinking with third class at night, then retiring to their room and having lots of sex. Lilly visited Doc and Liath every day between events to check on them, as did Arthur and Sean for Rose and Ennis. Lilly loved Liath very much as he was a gift from Arthur. He was a brave but gentle giant. However, Doc was truly a force to be reckoned with and Lilly wondered if she loved Doc more. They had a kindred spirit and Doc was very sweet on her and her wolves. Everyone else he was a real bastard to.

But the day finally arrived where Lilly could catch a glimpse of her homeland. It was late afternoon. Her and Sean were very excited about seeing their beloved Ireland for the first time in seventeen years. As Galway showed up in the distance, Lilly felt butterflies in her stomach. She was really here and in the seventeen years since her voyage to America, much had changed. Bigger buildings, the port was new, and the crowds practically called to her. The smell of Ireland hit her and she almost cried. As the ship landed to port, Lilly and Sean were practically the first two off along with Brian and James. Lilly, in her summer gunslinger outfit, held on to her bulldogger hat and jumped and twirled with Sean when they set foot on the docks.

"We're really here!" Lilly gasped happily! "We're here, we're here, we're feckin' here!"

"I know!" Sean giggled. "I don't think I've ever seen ya this giddy, lass. Yer like a buckin' horse!"

"I'm overjoyed, shut up!" she said with a laugh.

Brian and James jumped around them both. They got all their luggage on a couple carriages and Lilly remembered the Blacks and Patrick were coming so she made arrangements for their transportation. Before they set off, however, Lilly and Arthur wrote the gang a letter about everything, including the possibility of keeping the estate and moving everyone out to Ireland. They also mentioned the marriage but insisted they were enjoying it so far. Wedding night and all. They gave the letter to the post clerk and put it on fast delivery for one Tacitus Kilgore, the pseudo name for the gang's mail. But now they were on the way in the carriages and Lilly could hardly contain herself.

In the two hours it would take to reach Darach ar an gCnoc, Lilly went between feeling excited, anxious, nervous, and then excited again. As the sky got darker, Lilly kept fidgeting with her fingers throughout the ride and Arthur at one point put a hand on hers.

"You need to relax, Lilly. I know you're nervous, but everythin' will be fine," Arthur said with comfort in his baritone voice.

Lilly nodded with a shy grin. "I know, but I haven't seen it in seventeen years. I'm afraid I can't recall what it even..." Lilly looked out the window and her eyes went wide. "Looks like..."

There it was. Off in the distance, she could see her estate as they passed by a hill. Lilly smiled warmly. Arthur took a peek and laughed.

"Well I'll be damned. That is a huge house," he said in shock.

"Manor."

"What?"

Lilly looked at Arthur. "It's a manor."

Arthur gaped at her. "Jesus, Lilly."

"What did you expect from an Earl? A cottage?"

"No, but...a manor?!"

"Yep." Lilly looked out the window again and smiled.

The manor was shaped more like a small castle than anything else, that much she remembered. The windows were rectangular and narrow, surrounded by red trimming, but there were more windows than she could count. There were two towers with railings at top. The towers sat at the east and west wings of the manor, and three triangular attics were in the middle of the roof. The roof was made up of gray shingles and the bricks the manor had in its walls were shades of white and eggshell. There was a white brick wall surrounding three parts of the house, making a small enclosure with sandstone gravel littering the ground but there was a paved road for horses and carriages to travel on. It circled a fountain of an Aine goddess statue in the middle. There were roses and lillies planted in the landscape of the outer walls. Lilly remembered wanting them planted long ago, so her father did as she wished. All the lillies were white of course, but the roses were various shades of white and red. The giant doors were made of mahogany stained oak, and the upper windows had balcanies with flower pots of daisies and forget-me-nots. Lilly shut her eyes. It was a little different than she remembered but it was still her home and her memories couldn't do the real thing justice. The carriages came up the road and to the front doors. Memories of her childhood came rushing to her.

_4-year-old Lilly, in a pink frilly dress, was playing in the maze gardens with her 2-year-old sister Janet who was also in a pink frilly dress. Her mother called out to them for supper._

_"Come on, Jenny. Time for supper." Lilly grabbed Janet's little hand and walked with her out of the maze._

Arthur stood beside her with some luggage in hand. He was speechless, as were Karen and Sean. Patrick, however, only laughed.

"Is it like ya remember, Lilly?" Patrick asked.

"Mostly. I don't remember the fountain."

"Oh, that's new. Hey, ya remember the maze? Please tell me ya remember the maze."

"I do, but...Patrick, my oak tree. Mr. Pierce told me it died. Is that true?" Lilly asked sadly.

Patrick's smile faded. "I'm afraid so, love. Ya don't want tah see what's left of it, trust me."

"I think I do." Lilly turned on her heel and went to mount Doc when Arthur stopped her.

"Lilly, we can see the tree tomorrow if you'd like, but I'd like to get some uh...some sleep?" Arthur winked at her.

Lilly smiled at him. "You're terrible, Arthur Morgan. Just terrible," she teased in a whisper.

"You know you love it," he smiled, a finger grazing her chin as he said it.

Lilly grabbed his hand and looked at the doors. "Alright, well, we should go inside, I-"

The door opened and a slim, tall blonde woman came out. "Sir Patrick! I didn't know you'd be back so soon. And who are these people?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, this is Sean and Karen," he pointed. "This is Joseph and Maura Black," he pointed again. "And this is Arthur, Lilly, and their pups Brian and James." Patrick took a step forward. "Lilly is the uh, well, she's the countess, Breena."

Breena curtsied to each one but when Patrick mentioned the countess, she went to her knees and bowed. "Oh my! Forgive my impertinence, My Lady!"

Lilly shifted uncomfortably. "That's um...the formality isn't necessary, really. You...you can stand, Miss Harington."

The woman looked at Lilly, smiled shyly, then stood. "You're Lady O'Callaghan. You are the rightful heir. I..." Breena stopped at frowned at Patrick. "Are you two...married now?"

Lilly laughed. "No, we're uh, we're over that business. Arthur here is actually my husband, so it's Mrs. Morgan now."

Breena smiled at Patrick before looking at Arthur. "Oh! So...you're the Earl of Moycullen!"

Breena was about to go down again but Arthur stopped her with an embarassed chuckle. "Really, Miss Harington, it ain't necessary. We're uh, not that sort of folk who is used to that sorta thing."

Breena paused and eyed Patrick. "He's American, Sir Patrick."

Lilly snorted. "Yes, my husband is American. I hope that's not an issue?" Lilly tried not to laugh.

"N-No, m'lady! Of course! I meant no offense, m'lord!"

Lilly walked over to Breena and hugged her. "Thank you for watchin' over Darach ar an gCnoc, Miss Harington. It really is more beautiful than I remember."

Breena hesitantly hugged back. "It...It's my pleasure, m'lady. Um...shall I have the staff show you to your quarters?"

Lilly pulled back and smiled. "Actually, yes. I don't know about everyone else, but Arthur and I would like to retire for the night."

"Will you require supper?"

"Arthur, you want supper?"

"Nope." Arthur walked up to them both. "Simply too tired for any sustenance right now. Just let everyone know they don't have to get on their knees when we come in, please. As clean as I'm sure the floor is, I'd much rather not have people breakin' their knees on our account."

Breena looked flustered and shy. "Of course, m'lord! Everyone, please come in. I will have your belongings..." Breena stared at the wolves.

Lilly looked at Brian and James. "Oh, um, they're pretty docile and won't cause trouble, but if you prefer them to stay outside, that's okay."

"Oh no, it's not that at all, m'lady. They're just, well, they're humongous!"

Brian was a good four feet, two inches at the shoulder now. James was only four feet at the shoulder, both eight feet in length, and pretty much completely white now. Huh. "Yes, they are...just when I think they're done growin'," Lilly sighed.

Arthur ahemed. "Don't you think them boys should have a run of the land first? They been cooped up so long on that ship, Lilly."

"Good point. Alright boys, go play." The boys barked and went running. "And don't eat everythin' in sight, ya rascals!"

* * *

It was too dark to see in the house to get a good look at everything, but once Arthur had Lilly alone in the main bedroom of her parents, he pounced on her and they had sex straight away. And afterward, Arthur held her close as she slept in his arms. In such a short amount of time, he'd gone from being a single man pining after a woman he loved to having her, handfasting her, losing her to the grave and to amnesia, leaving the country, having Lilly once again, legally marrying her, and becoming an Earl of an estate in Ireland. He was an Earl and a husband and it was the strangest occurrence in his life but he was happy. Arthur snuggled closer to his naked wife under the blankets and thought about what happened after she died.

* * *

_Arthur stared at his new wife's corpse and gulped. Lilly was dead. He was supposed to protect her as his charge and he failed because she went to go see about Colm O'Driscoll. Kieran Duffy. He was the one who told her where Colm was. If it hadn't been for him...Arthur's fists clenched tightly as he got up and stormed out of the tent._

_"Arthur! Don't do anythin' rash!"_ _someone from the tent shouted._

_Arthur didn't care who said it. He spotted the man tied to the tree, marched over, and punched him repeatedly in the face. Kieran sunk to the ground, trying to keep away but Arthur grabbed him by the collar and hit him a few more times before he was pulled back by Charles, Dutch, Javier and Bill._

_"Hey hey hey! Take it easy! What happened?" Bill asked._

_Arthur shook everyone off him and had a fist raised. His nostrils flared, his eyes were wide open, and his mouth was tight. He wasn't sad or depressed. He was just extremely angry and that was the only kind of grief he knew how to handle at that point._

_"Arthur..." Hosea said, his palms raised as he approached. "She did say it wasn't Colm. It's not the boy's fault."_

_Arthur wanted to believe that but he was not seeing logic or reason. He was only seeing red. And he did not speak. He had to find out who did this. Revenge was a luxury they couldn't afford, but to hell with that code. This was Lilly and she was murdered._

_"What's not my fault?" Kieran sputtered out. "What happened to Miss O'Callaghan? Is she okay?"_

_"No." Arthur said plainly. "She's dead, O'Driscoll."_

_People gasped and started asking questions. It became a big uproar that Arthur was currently not capable of handling at that moment. Dutch was barely consolable, Hosea was on the verge of breaking down, Miss Grimshaw was on her knees crying, as was Karen, Tilly, and Mary-Beth. Everyone was grieving in their own way. Arthur had to be the strong one or everything would fall apart. Lilly would've hated that._

_"We don't know who did it or why," Arthur continued. "She was tortured and poisoned. She's in the tent now but DO NOT go in there. I find our anyone went in there without my pernission, you'll be dealing with me or her wolves. Brian, James, go guard Lilly," Arthur said, pointing in the direction of the tent. The boys did as they were told. "Reverend, please go find a spot to bury my wife," he said, almost choking on the word 'wife'. "Somewhere by a big oak tree would be best. She loved her some oak trees." Reverend Swanson sadly obliged him and left to go look for a burial plot._

_"Wife?" Javier asked. "When did that happen?"_

_"She wanted to be handfasted before she passed. So yes, she is...was my wife." More sobs came over the crowd. "Charles, maybe you could go with him and carve her headstone into a tree? She woulda loved that idea."_

_Charles nodded, put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, and ran after Swanson. "Arthur," Grimshaw said. "What clothes should she be buried in?"_

_"She's got a white and blue vest suit for special occasions. Come on, I'll show you," Arthur said as he walked toward the tent. "Better bring somethin' to clean all the...blood off."_

_"Is there anything else we can do for you, Arthur?" Javier asked._

_"I don't know. I'll let you know."_

* * *

Arthur had been heartbroken over the death of his son, for sure. And Eliza, too. But Lilly? They'd both been in the gang for a long time. In fact, she was the second one to join in on the rag tag family. John was the third, while the rest came in at random times but Lilly had always been there. His thoughts drifted to when they got Sean. God, telling Sean was the worst thing he had to do...besides burying Lilly, of course.

* * *

_"Someone get me down already!" Sean yelled. He was hanging upside down from a tree. Arthur shot the last bounty hunter in the head then shot the rope that was holding Sean. The Irish man hit the ground. Arthur walked to Sean and cut his binds with a knife. "Ya know, yer a lot less ugly from that other angle, Arthur!" Sean joked._

_Arthur rolled his eyes. "Come on," Arthur mumbled as he helped Sean up._

_"Do I get a hug, Arthur?" Sean asked as Arthur turned to walk away. "A warm embrace for a lost brother, now found?"_

_"Haha!" Arthur clasped a hand on Sean's shoulder. "You know, nothin' means more to me than this gang. The bond we share, it's the most real thing to me. I would kill for it, I would happily die for it, but in spite of all that, I would have easily left you here to rot if Charles hadn't stopped me." This comment made Charles laugh._

_"I don't believe a word of that, Arthur!" Sean said._

_"Get him outta here!" Arthur said, shoving Sean towards Javier._

_Sean looked around. "Wait, where's Lilly? What was more important than savin' her deartháir?"_

_Arthur's face went tense. Charles and Javier coughed and couldn't look Sean on the eye. "Well, um..." Javier said._

_Sean looked at them, then at Arthur. "Where is Lilly, Arthur?"_

_Arthur took a deep breath and looked at Sean sadly. "I'm sorry, Sean. She's dead."_

_Sean backed up with a look of disbelief. "What? How..." Sean leaned his hand against a tree. "What happened, Arthur?"_

_"I'll tell you on the way. Come on, let's go before we get spotted." Arthur and Sean went to Rose. "You know the rules, fellas. Separate ways, don't get followed." Sean got behind Arthur and they trotted off._

_"When did she die?" Sean asked._

_"Three days ago. She got kidnapped, tortured, and poisoned."_

_"By who?!"_

_"We don't know. We thought maybe the O'Driscolls but Lilly confirmed that they didn't do it. She mentioned Papa and his goons, somethin' about them still bein' after her, but..."_

_"No, Papa wouldn't have done this."_

_Arthur stopped. "And you know this how?" he asked suspiciously._

_"Why would he have her killed now after all these years?"_

_Arthur sighed. "Right. Of course." Arthur resumed the horse's trot._

_"What else did I miss?" Sean asked._

_"Well, she and I got handfasted right before she died."_

_"Wait, what? You two got married?! Last thing I knew, you wasn't speakin' to one another!"_

_Arthur made a soft, bittersweet smile. "We made up. A lot._ _"_

_Sean giggled. "You dog. Tell me everythin', Arthur! About her and you!"_

* * *

Arthur kept watching his young wife sleep and smiled into her hair, taking a deep breath in. Apples. She always smelled like apples. Lilly mumbled something in her sleep and he brushed his lips across her forehead.

"What's that, darlin'?" he asked.

Lilly shifted and began to rub her eyes. She was awake now. "I wanna go see my tree now."

Arthur wasn't sure about Lilly going to see it yet. "Now? Why?"

Lilly looked at him with one eye open. "Mmm, because I wannaaaa..." she whined.

Arthur chortled at her childish reaction. "C'mere, ya big baby." He kissed her deeply and breathed through his nose.

"I'm not a big baby, you're a big baby," she said, her lips pouted.

"Oh shut up, woman," he rolled on top of her and kissed her again. "I think my rooster takes precedence right now."

Lilly giggled. "Your rooster?"

"Yeah, my rooster. I just made it up. And my rooster needs to," he said while placing soft pecks on her mouth," needs, mmm, to cock-a-doodle-do into your, mmmmm, henhouse."

Lilly laughed loudly and Arthur felt her legs spread open for him. "Well, cock-a-doodle away, Lord Rooster."

Arthur laughed into her mouth, wrapped his arms around her, and just when he was about to push into her, Lilly stopped him. "Wait, Arthur...do ya hear that?"

Arthur stopped. Brian and James were outside barking. Just then there was a knock on their bedroom door. "Lilly! Arthur! It's Patrick! Open the door!" he urged. "We hafta hide ya, Lilly!"

Arthur got up immediately, put on pants, and grabbed his guns. "Get dressed," he told his wife. Lilly got up and started dressing in a nightgown and robe when Arthur opened the door a crack. "What's goin' on?"

"There's people here fer Lilly!" Patrick said, holding a lit candle and looking panicked.

"What people?" Arthur snapped. "What do they want?"

"It's Mr. Pierce and Brutus!" Lilly snapped. Arthur turned and saw her at the window. Lilly ran to the bedroom door and opened it. "Brian and James, I need to bring them inside!"

Arthur hushed her. "I'll get 'em." Arthur moved past Patrick and took his candle. Once his eyes adjusted, Arthur ran down the hall, down the stairs, and to the front door. He opened it and saw a bunch of men standing outside, one of them being Mr. Pierce. Brian and James were circling them like the efficient predators they were born to be.

"Brian, James!" Arthur shouted. "Inside!"

The pups did as they were told, both snarling at Brutus and Mr. Pierce before padding inside.

"Ah, Mr. Morgan, a pleasure to see you again, and those boys have gotten so much bigger. Seems odd, the size of them."

"They're Canadian Timberwolves," Arthur said, setting the candle down and cocking his rifle. "What the hell do you want?"

"Just making a social call. I want to know why you're here. Your betrothed is dead."

Arthur stared at Pierce coldly. So they weren't here for Lilly after all. "My wife, you mean."

"Sorry?"

"My wife. We handfasted before she died from bein' tortured and poisoned. Somethin' I'm sure you knew about."

"Yes, I heard. How unfortunate. My deepest condolences. Is that why you have her wolves?"

Arthur took a step forward. "Why I got her wolves ain't your concern."

"Hmm." Pierce took a step forward as well. "Why are you here?"

"Sir Patrick extended an invitation. Wanted me to see my wife's childhood home."

"I see. Is he here?"

"Mr. Pierce!" Patrick shouted. "What are you-"

Arthur turned to Patrick. "Does he speak Irish?" Arthur asked quietly.

"No."

"Coinnigh socair é. Níl a fhios aige go bhfuil mo bhean beo," Arthur said in a cool tone. _[Keep it calm. He does not know that my wife is alive.]_

"Oh. Mr. Pierce! What are you doing calling so late?"

"I wanted to make sure Mr. Morgan was here by your will. Now that I know, shall I return to Achrann Castle to await your arrival?"

"Yes. Please see that you do." Patrick turned to go inside then stopped. "Oh, and Mr. Pierce? It seems Lilly's watch was not found on her person. I don't suppose you could track it down?"

"I will do my best to acquire it, sir. Good night, Sir Patrick. Mr. Morgan."

The men left and Arthur released the tension in his trigger finger. Patrick grabbed the candle and they both went inside. Arthur sighed in relief. "Jesus Christ."

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Patrick said. "I assumed they were here for Lilly, and I...well..."

Arthur clapped Patrick's shoulder. "It's alright, Patrick. You made the right call," Arthur assured him.

"What about the watch?"

"Well, we'll have to get it back. Is Lilly okay?"

"Yes. She's in the bedroom waiting for you."

Arthur was led by Patrick upstairs to the main bedroom. When they got there, however, Lilly wasn't in the room. "Huh. Where'd she go?" Arthur asked himself. "Oh. I bet she went to the tree."

"Oh God!" Patrick went running. "We gotta get to the stables! She can't go near that thing!"

Arthur chased after him. "Why?"

"I'll explain on the way!"

* * *

Lilly climbed off Doc at the base of the hill and started walking up. It was dark but Lilly could tell her giant, ancient oak tree had not fared well in her absence. She got to the top, stepping over the sandstone bricks that circled the area. Lilly got close to the tree and frowned. "Oh, my poor Darach. You poor, poor thing."

There were no leaves. There was no sign of life on the tree. There were blackened and ashen blotches all over the trunk. It had certainly withered, but not in size, at least. Only in life. Lilly got to her knees and wept. The grief she felt was more than substantial; it overwhelmed her. As Lilly stared at her tree, she noticed the spots were moving. Vibrating. Throbbing. "Strange," she said to herself. She got up and took a step closer.

"Lillian!" Arthur shouted behind her. "Get away from it!"

Lilly turned around. "Why?" she asked.

Arthur and Patrick were just outside the circle. "Lilly, don't touch it, just come back over here please."

Lilly scowled and went walking back when she heard a voice behind her. "Lllllliiiiiiiilllllllllyyyyyyy..." it called to her.

Lilly stopped just before the circle ended and jerked around. "Did you hear that?"

"Darlin', come on," Arthur said. "Come over here. Please."

Lilly walked back to the tree. "It said my name."

"Lilly, honey, you're hearin' things! Get away from the god damn tree!"

"Lilly," she heard the voice say again. "Lig dom saor in aisce." _[Let me free.]_

Lilly touched the tree. It burned and she yelped, stepping away from the tree. "That hurt!" she yelled, staring at her palm. It didn't looked damaged. "What the hell?"

"Lillian! Get back here now!" Arthur shouted.

"Patrick, what happened to my tree?!"

"I will tell ya, but only if ya get away from it," Patrick pleaded. "Come on, little light."

"Ya havena called me that in years."

"I know. But please, Lilly, ya canna touch it. I'll explain everything. Just step out of the circle."

Lilly looked at them both with a confused expression. "Why can't you guys come into the circle?"

"It's a fairy hill, Lilly. Only you were allowed in it," Patrick explained. "Don't ya remember?"

"I...I don't."

"I thought ya said she had all her memories back?"

"I never remembered much before The Emerald Star. I don't quite remember why we left in the-"

"Lig dom saor in aisce, Lilly," the tree urged. "Lig dom saor in aisce agus beimid ar cheann." _[Let me free, Lilly. Let me free and we will be one.]_

Lilly touched the tree again and this time she kept it there. The blotches rumbled along the trunk and touched her hand. Lilly got to her knees and cried out. "It hurts!"

"Tá brón orm. Dódh tú roimhe seo. Caithfidh tú sruthán arís chun na constaicí amach anseo a shárú." _[I'm sorry. You burned before. You must burn again to overcome the future obstacles.]_

"Lilly!" Arthur shouted. "Come back here now!"

"I can't!" Lilly shouted back. "My tree needs to be free!" Black and ashy fire crawled along Lilly's arm and enveloped her whole body. It burned so much that Lilly cried out from the pain. "It burns!"

"Ah, yes, Lilly," the tree spoke in English. "I see your past. We shall avenge all who have wronged you. I vow this, my vessel."

"Vessel?" Lilly sobbed. "I don't understand!"

"You will in time. I am freed within you. Carry me as you once did, my vessel. Carry me and spill the blood of your enemies. The ones you seek now, your murderers! Go to them now and stain the ground with their blood!"

Lilly backed up, staring at herself as the fire extinguished. Her tree suddenly began to come back to life. Leaves grew on it once more and a healthy glow appeared around its form. Lilly smiled and laughed. "Mo chrann darach! _[My oak tree!]_ You live!"

The voice was louder now. "Yes. I was merely bound, as you were once. Your deaths released most of the magic that binds you, but you must perish once more to be free. Now go, my vessel."

The tree's glow floated to Lilly and she shut her eyes. Wind flowed and whooshed around her body as the glow became part of her being. Lilly felt herself changing, growing stronger than before. The glow dissipated and Lilly looked at her husband who looked almost frightened. "Do ya still love me, mo fhear álainn?" _[my beautiful man?]_

"Of course I do. I always will," Arthur said in a puzzled way. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I know why me shout and singin' don't affect ya."

"Why?"

Lilly saw Brian, James and Doc trot up the hill and she left the circle, moving past the men. "I hafta get tah Achrann Castle."

"Why, Lilly?" Patrick asked.

As Lilly mounted on her horse, she looked at them with an evil smile. "I have two full grown men tah murder."


	26. Achrann Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for sexual content.

"Lilly, ya canna go after them right now!" Patrick snapped through the closed bedroom door. Lilly was dressing in a blue long sleeved buttoned shirt, sleeves rolled up, brown pants, and black riding boots. Lilly armed herself with her bow, her repeater, and her revolvers. "Ya gotta rest. Do ya even know what just happened tah ya?!"

"Yes!" Lilly shouted. Wait, did she? "No! I mean...I...uuuugh," Lilly sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. She had no damn clue what just happened with the tree. "I canna worry about that just now! I need to get me father's watch back and kill that rat bastard and his stupid cousin!"

"That's not how we do things here, Lillian! Ya can't just go killin' people willy nilly!"

Lilly opened the door angrily as Arthur laughed. "I don't know if ya knew this, but they murdered me first! This ain't just some 'willy nilly' killin', Patrick!"

Patrick put up his hands. "Yes, I knew. Arthur told me a lot of things on the trip here from America."

Lilly glared at Arthur. "So glad ya made a new friend but when it comes tah things I prefer tah keep private, could ya not have a big arsed mouth?"

Arthur laughed and scratched an eyebrow. "Darlin', may I remind you that your death affected everyone in the gang? Do you even know how devastated everyone was?" Arthur walked up to her and shook his head. "Did you even bother to ask anyone?"

"Well...I...no, but need I remind ya that I had a memory problem at the time?" Lilly snarled. Arthur gave her a stern look and she sighed in defeat. "I suppose that's no excuse, though. I guess it didn't occur to me that I meant that much to everyone. When someone dies, we don't...mourn them that much."

Arthur put his hands on her shoulders. "We mourned you, Lilly. We all went to your funeral, except Jack. He was particularly upset that you 'had to go away' and 'not come back'."

Lilly lowered her head. "I'm sorry."

Arthur hugged her. "It ain't your fault. I wasn't tryin' to make it seem that way. You were goin' through a lot at the time."

Lilly nuzzled his neck. "When we get back, I'll talk to everyone. But first things first." Lilly pulled back and kissed Arthur's chin. "What are we doin' about Mr. Pierce and Brutus?"

"I have an idea," Patrick said in a chipper tone. "Let's hold a ball."

Arthur and Lilly looked at him incredulously. "A ball?!" they both said.

"Yes. A ball. Catch Mr. Pierce and Brutus off guard and then you can confront him in front of everybody. He and Brutus will be arrested for their crimes. We can only mention the flogging, though."

"Not if I had an antidote to the poison," Lilly said with a smirk. "No one needs to know that I died, although I'm sure Brutus and Mr. Pierce won't believe that I didn't. The stuff they used was real nasty."

Patrick rubbed the back of his neck. "That is true, but I'm not worried about them knowin' you died and came back to life. I'm worried about what'll happen to you if that rumor got around. I'd rather you not be known as a witch or a..." Patrick paused. "Something else."

Both the men shifted uncomfortably and Lilly grabbed the candle from Patrick. "Is there somethin' I need to know?"

"No," both the men said together.

"Hmm." Lilly knew something was amiss but she decided not to press it. "Alright, Patrick. Do as you see fit to prepare for this party. I gotta say I do miss the castle."

Patrick smiled. "Right. We'll get started in the morning but you need rest."

* * *

Patrick made the arrangements of holding a gala at Achrann Castle. According to Patrick, when Mr. Pierce asked why, Patrick only said he felt like having one. While that was being organized, Lilly spent a lot of time hunting with Arthur and the wolves. On one particular hunt, however, Lilly discovered she was even stronger with her bow and arrows. One kill she made to a red deer stag and the arrow hit so hard, the animal collided into a tree.

"How did you do that?!" Arthur asked, his tone full of shock and awe.

"I have no idea," Lilly replied in confusion. She got off Liath and went to the buck. She examined it and shook her head. "What is happenin' tah me, Arthur? Why am I gettin'...different?" she asked, looking at her husband in shame.

Arthur frowned. "There ain't nothin' wrong with ya. You've always had abilities, Lilly. Why is it shockin' that you're gettin' stronger? Or gettin' more abilities?"

Lilly started skinning the stag. "I don't know. You remember that scarred bear we were supposed to take down together?"

"Yes?"

"Knocked him out cold before slicing his throat."

"That's how you killed him?!

"Yes. With my bare hands. But it seems my abilities, or some of them, go away or lose strength after a while. Same thing happened after the carriage accident. When I went hunting for us. I brought back a peccary, you remember?"

"Yeah."

Lilly cut the antlers off. "I snapped its neck and carried him back on my shoulders."

"...What?"

"I did, but I used the sled anyway because I didn't want to scare you boys."

"You...you..." Arthur began before he started laughing. "God, Lilly, you are truly somethin' else!"

"That's what...that's what scares me." Lilly grabbed the deer and hoisted it over her shoulder.

"Lillian," Arthur said while sitting on Rose. "Don't be afraid of who you are."

Lilly placed the giant deer on Liath. "It's not who, it's what. Sometimes I think I'm not even human, Arthur."

He got off his horse and touched her shoulder. "I don't care what you are."

Lilly frowned at him softly. "Arthur...in Saint Denis, people thought I was a real freak. In New York, I was sold to a man because I was...am a freak. You don't know what that feels like."

Her husband picked Lilly up by her butt and she clung to him, staring down into his eyes. "You're a lot of things but you're not a freak. You're just an extremely talented individual. You're a survivor. I couldn't be more grateful to know you, Lilly, and I know a hell of a lot of people feel the same way. But...I get to know you in ways others won't ever know." Arthur kissed her softly. "Like in the biblical sense. And right now, I'd like to go back to Darach ar an gCnoc and have biblical relations."

Lilly laughed, holding Arthur's face and kissing him softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Well, you need your own kill first. I wouldn't want my Earl of Moycullen to look emasculated if he didn't bring back food and his Countess did."

Arthur laughed and set her down. "Alright, you shit. How about you go and bring your kill back and I'll catch up when I've got my own?"

Lilly nodded and kissed him deeply. "Don't be long, mo chuisle. I'll have a bath drawn for us both and I'd hate to fuck you in it while it's cold."

Arthur chuckled deeply and put soft kisses on her jawline. "You are so sultry. I fuckin' love that about you." Lilly giggled and smacked his bottom. "Ouch!" Arthur said with a laugh. "So frisky, too! On second thought..." Arthur tripped her and she went down with a cackle. He hovered over her and smiled. "I think I'll have you now!" And they began snogging and necking.

* * *

The day came for the ball and Arthur was waiting downstairs in the foyer. A decorative room with oak stairs with a landing, a statue of a wolf swirling around a post at the bottom railing's end. There was a red blush couch with metal framing at the side of the stairs. On the floor was a red and black oriental rug. The floor was made from oak planks. The walls were white and eggshell colored. Arthur paced back and forth in his black tux, clean shaven and his hair slicked back with pomade. His hair was cut short again after keeping it long for a while. He looke at the Joseph and Sean in similar tuxedos. "What's takin' them so long?" Arthur asked.

Joseph, a man in his early fifties, laughed. "Women always take forever getting ready for things like this."

"Not my Lilly."

"Arthur," Sean giggled. "Lilly's never really worn dresses before or gone to galas, neither. Trust me, this is the good amount of time. Karen sometimes takes this long just dressin' in casuals."

Arthur stopped pacing. "You're right. I guess I'm just nervous."

"You boys ready?" Karen called down.

"Yes!" All three men called out.

"Okay!" Karen was the first to descend down the stairs in a ruffled an a-line green satin dress, daisies and dandelion designs sewn into the edge of her skirt and over the top of the dress. The sleeves were puffy and short, she had on white gloves reaching past her elbows, and her hair was in its normal bun with blonde ringlets adorning the sides of her face. Her usual makeup was on. She wore a green necklace and green earrings. More than likely they were emeralds. She came down the stairs and smiled at the men. "How do I look?"

"Stunnin' as always, Mrs. MacGuire," Sean said. He took her arm and sighed. "How are Mrs. Black and Mrs. Morgan getting along?"

"I'm here!" Mrs. Black came down next in a high top bun on her head. She was in a black and white silk dress with sequins and it hugged her hips. It also had fluffy sleeves and her gloves were black. Makeup of red rouge, black eye shadow, and dark red lips were on her face as she came down the stairs.

"Ah, Maura, you are a treat as usual," Joseph said, kissing his wife's cheek.

"Thank you, darling," Maura said with a laugh. "Now we wait for our hostess."

"...I'm ready, I th-think," Lilly said nervously from atop the stairs. "Could you guys just shut your eyes and-"

"As ucht Dé, get down here woman so we can look at ya!" Arthur snapped amusingly.

"Shut up, bithiúnach!" she laughed.

When Lilly approached the landing, Arthur stopped breathing. Lilly wore a silk and velvet crimson gown with other various shades of red. Ruffles swirled like ribbons around the skirt from top to bottom. The decorative designs of black lace flowers and leaves swirled under the section of ruffles, as well as up on the waist and top part of the deeper red chemise. Lilly had bows that looked almost like roses at the middle of her chest, and one on her right shoulder. The short sleeves were slightly ruffled, and the chemise was almost off the shoulder. She was wearing what he assumed was a gold chain necklace with a ruby stone. She had red lipstick, red blush, and light pink eye shadow. Her earlobes had ruby earrings. And her auburn hair...holy shit. Arthur recognized it as the Psyche knot. Her hair was coiled around like a big piece of rope with little loops and curls in the middle of the knot. When Lilly got to the bottom of the stairs, she put on a red silk shawl over her shoulders. Lilly cleared her throat, obviously blushing.

"H-How do I look?"

Arthur crossed the threshold and kissed her deeply. "Like the goddess that you are."

Lilly laughed and lightly slapped him. "Shut up. Can we go now before I lose my nerve?"

"Yes," Arthur said. He watched Lilly walk and saw her from behind. She had corset lacing in the back, the same black decorations on the top of her chemise, a bunch of ruffled fabric in the back, a long red train, and...was she wearing a bustle? Arthur bit his knuckles. "You're wearin' a bustle?"

Lilly stopped and looked at him. "Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Hell no." He walked to her, hooked her arm in his, and kissed her neck. "Nuair a éiríonn an ghrian, beidh tú tuirseach agus tinn." _[When the sun rises, you will be tired and sore.]_

Lilly blushed more. "Bithiúnach." _[Reprobate.]_

* * *

By the time the three carriages from Darach ar an gCnoc arrived in view of Achrann Castle, the sun was just about to set. Lilly looked upon sixteenth century building and smiled. It had a lot more vines on it than she remembered but she loved it all the more. Lilly stared at her wolf pups, who had also been invited to the party, before looking at Arthur. "I'm nervous. What if I lose my shite and kill 'em both in front of everyone?"

Arthur laughed and pulled out her pipe. "Only half a puff, mo stór. I think that should be enough to calm you down." Lilly chuckled and took it. Arthur lit it for her and Lilly took in a small breath before Arthur took it away. He put it out and the woman exhaled slowly, feeling less anxious already as her forehead felt tight for but a moment. "Better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you." Arthur put the pipe away and Lilly nuzzled his neck. "Did I tell you how handsome you look?"

"Yes. Several times tonight," he said, kissing her lips. "But I think you're more handsome."

Lilly smacked him softly and he laughed. "God damn little shite," she snickered.

The carriage stopped at the waterside front of the castle and Lilly was helped out by their footman. She smiled up at the place, happy nostalgia seeping into her mind. Oh, all the times she used to play here. Arthur and the pups got out behind her and Arthur hooked her arm, patting her forearm affectionately. "You alright, darlin'?"

"Yes. Just rememberin' things," she replied gladly. "So many good memories here."

Lilly walked with Arthur behind the Blacks and the MacGuires toward the castle and up the steps, the wolves in little black bow ties following behind. The wooden doors opened and Lilly saw a red carpet lined with champagne colored ribbon. The walls were bricks but Patrick must have done some remodeling to the place recently because the bricks only went halfway up. The upper walls and ceiling were the color of white plaster and there were pictures of old Irish gods and goddesses everywhere on the walls. Macha, Andraste, Branwen, Camalus, Llyr, and many others. Most were new except for one picture: The Morrigan. It was a young woman with an arm outstretched and a crow in her hand in a red silk dress. With bare feet and free flowing hair, she stood on what Lilly surmised was the river banks of Tír na nÓg.

"That picture there, does she look familiar to you?" Lilly asked.

"Is that supposed to be The Morrigan? Kinda looks like her," Arthur commented. "She looked a little different when I met her."

Lilly looked at him in confusion. "You met her? When?"

Arthur scrunched up his face. "I coulda sworn I told you. She was at your grave with the pups."

"Oh. Hmm. Maybe? Musta slipped my mind." They turned a corner and they were just outside the ballroom. "Oh, Sir Liam had this being done when I was a kid. So nice to see it in its completion."

"Huh. Sure is big. That man lives here by himself?" Arthur laughed.

"I would assume so. He's the oldest and I don't know if Sir Liam and Lady Fiona had any children after I left, but who knows?"

Lilly took a peek and gasped. The white walls were decorated with gold sculptures of more gods and goddesses from ancient Ireland and even characters from the tales of the Tuatha de Danann. The floor was made of oak now and the windows reached floors and arched mid height between the floor and ceiling, which had a painting of the Otherworld. The room was already filled with guests and there were servant men with platters of champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

"Wow," Arthur laughed. "And to think you gave all this up for me."

Lilly smirked. "I could just divorce you and marry him," she joked.

"Don't you start that, woman," he growled playfully.

Lilly giggled at him, standing behind the Blacks and stopping. "We have to be announced before we go in," Lilly said.

"Why?"

"Tradition."

"Oh. As what?"

"The Earl and Countess of Moycullen," Lilly said casually, looking at Arthur smugly for his reaction.

He went pale. "Oh."

"Just stay calm. You'll be fine, my love."

"Mr. and Mrs. Sean and Karen MacGuire!" the debutante yelled into the ballroom. Karen and Sean went walking. As Lilly and Arthur waited their turn, she waved at Patrick in the ballroom and he waved back. "Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Maura Black!" the debutante announced again. The Blacks went walking.

Lilly looked around for Brutus and Mr. Pierce but didn't see them. "Why aren't they here?" Lilly asked rhetorically.

"The Earl and Countess of Moycullen, and their...ahem, wolves, Brian and James."

Arthur froze for a moment but Lilly helped him along. People gasped and murmured at either Lilly's reemergence after seventeen years, Brian and James, or the fact the Countess of Moycullen was married. Lilly listened to their whispers. Her hearing as of late was extraordinary and Lilly was surprised to hear that she and Arthur had been the subject of quite a lot of gossip.

"I thought she died all those years ago."

"Look at the size of those wolves."

"Who is that man she married?"

"I heard he's American."

"What kind of woman has wolves for pets? I can't believe Sir Patrick would allow animals like that at a ball."

Lilly and Arthur approached Patrick at the other end of the ballroom. Lilly curtsied as Arthur bowed. Lilly was glad she gave him a crash course in how to conduct himself as a nobleman, but she could tell Arthur was still nervous.

Patrick engaged them in conversation while kissing Lilly on the cheek. "Ya look beautiful, me dear." Patrick shook Arthur's hand. "Handsome fella ya got, Lilly."

"Where is Mr. Pierce?" Lilly said with a faint smile.

"Brutus and Mr. Pierce should be along shortly. I figured they should come after yer announcement so they canna leave."

"Good idea." Lilly chuckled and Arthur and her went off to enjoy the party. Arthur grabbed some champagne and drank while Lilly went to meet Maura and Karen. Arthur went to go talk to Sean and Joseph.

"Well, this is quite the party," Karen said. "I hope I don't embarrass myself."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be the one doin' that," Lilly said, grabbing champagne from a waiter. The other girls did as well and they began drinking. Lilly looked down at her boys and giggled. "Ya boys look sharp in those bow ties. Ya can go mingle, if ya like." The wolves went to Arthur and Lilly laughed softly.

"Lilly?" Maura asked. "I just heard a rumor about you."

"Hmm, already?" Lilly asked.

"Yes. I don't want to pry, but I thought you should know. Um...your shawl isn't covering up your back all the way, so...um..."

Lilly sighed. "Well, fiddlesticks." Karen snorted into her champagne glass. "I take it they are talkin' about my scars?"

"Well, yes," Maura said with a frown.

"I see. I'd hoped to cover them up to save people from faintin'."

Maura frowned more. "I apologize, Lilly."

"Oh, they're just scars."

"May I ask...how you...?"

"Oh...I was flogged."

Maura blinked. "Flogged?! Why would someone do such a thing?"

Lilly peeked over Maura and saw Brutus and Mr. Pierce greeting Patrick. The ballroom doors shut and Lilly smiled. "No idea, but I do believe I am about to find out." Arthur motioned to her and she nodded.

"Find out?"

Lilly pointed in Mr. Pierce and Brutus' direction. "Those two men were responsible for it. Patrick set this all up to have them arrested. In public. Honestly, though, I would have preferred killin' them but I'm not allowed to do that."

Karen laughed, as did Maura. "I should think so! If someone did that to me, you can bet I'd want to kill them too."

Lilly excused herself with a wicked smile. "Let the games begin," she said, making her way over to Arthur. The pups followed her and Patricke motioned for them to come.

"Hmm, Mr. Pierce? Brutus?" Patrick asked. "Did you happen to find the whereabouts of Lilly's watch?"

"I'm afraid not, sir," Mr. Pierce sighed. "I've tried reaching out to all my sources, but I haven't come up with a thing. Nor the identity of the ones responsible for her demise."

"What demise?" Lilly uttered behind him. "I'm still alive, ya silly man!"

Brutus and Mr. Pierce turned and yelped in shock. "What the bloody hell are you-" Brutus started but Mr. Pierce stopped him. The wolves snarled at them both, their hackles raised and their fangs bared.

"Mrs. Morgan. I...I thought you were deceased," Mr. Pierce stuttered.

"Well, ya didna do a very good job of it, did ya?"

"Ha! Are you accusing me of trying to have you killed?"

"Ya know damn well I am, ya murderous, lyin' bastard!" she shouted.

All music and chatter ceased as the guests looked at the shouting woman. Pierce laughed nervously and looked at Patrick. "Sir Patrick, you can't possibly believe I had anything to do with this!"

"Oh, I think I do," Patrick sighed casually. A few lawmen came and circled around Brutus and Mr. Pierce. People began to chatter again.

"I have no idea what you mean, sir!" Pierce pleaded.

"Mr. Pierce oversaw me torture and his cousin, Brutus, was the one who carried out me torture," Lilly said to the lawmen. "They poisoned me too, but luckily we had an antidote fer that."

Mr. Pierce shot his chin up. "You have no proof, Countess!" Lilly sighed, turned around, and removed her shawl to expose her back. The dress started just under her shoulder blades so a good portion of her scars showed.

"Ya see these marks, gentlemen? These were done tah me under Mr. Piece's supervision." Some officers and a few guests gasped at the sight. One woman even fainted. Lilly rolled her eyes and put the shawl back on, turning around to face Pierce. "Me family watch. Where is it?"

"No idea what you mean."

Lilly held out her palm and chuckled. "Don't make me shout, Mr. Pierce. It's become, hahaha, louder and more unpleasant."

"I have no idea what-"

"GIVE ME BACK ME DAMN POCKET WATCH OR I'LL RIP YER ARMS OFF AND BEAT YA WITH 'EM!" Lilly's voice boomed.

People backed up in horror and Mr. Pierce immediately dug into his coat, grabbing the watch and flinging it to her. "You witch! You used witchcraft on me!"

Lilly laughed. "That wasna witchcraft, ya dolt! That was an Irish temper!"

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "You should see how mad she can really get. This was just a small part of it."

"Alright, let's go!" The officers cuffed Mr. Pierce and Brutus who struggled as they were dragged through the room.

"You're making a big mistake, Sir Patrick! Do you not know what she is?!" Lilly looked down at her watch and smiled, fingering the family crest on the front.

"I am well aware of what she is, Mr. Pierce!" Patrick yelled. "She is a countess! And a wonderful one, at that!" The ballroom doors opened and the two murderers shouted and tried to break themselves free as they were taken out. Patrick put his hand on Lilly's shoulder. "Ya alright, lass?"

"Yes."

Patrick waved his hand about and the music resumed. Lilly hugged Patrick. "Thank you, Patrick."

Patrick kissed her cheek. "Yer welcome, love. Now go and enjoy the party. I'm sure people have questions about ya now."

"Oh, they did before."

Arthur shook Patrick's hand. "Thanks, Patrick. We owe you."

"Ah," Patrick waved his hand. "Don't mention it, man. It's all fine and under the bridge."

Lilly clicked her tongue and went walking back to Karen and Maura with the wolves. However, the glances she got were ones of disgust and fear. Lilly immediately felt self-conscious about herself, turned, and went heading for the door. She shouldn't have shouted.


	27. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is "The Last Rose Of Summer", a poem by Thomas Moore and the music was made by John Andrew Stevenson. Tune and poem were published together in 1813. Chapter is rated m for sexual content.

_5-year-old Lilly was dragged out on to the selling block after a 14-year-old boy was sold off. She was forced to stand facing the group but she didn't like it. She stared down at her bare feet instead._

_"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Siren! An Irish girl, only five years of age, with a shout that strikes the fear into any man's heart and a voice so pure and angelic, you will most certainly cry after hearing her!" said her seller._

_Some of buyers scoffed, pointed and laughed. Lilly narrowed her eyes at them. She did not like being made fun of. "Oi! Give us a show, lil' girl!" someone yelled._

_More men laughed and Lilly looked over at Brian and Sean and then at the crowd. The boys looked miserable. "You wantah show? I'll give ya a show!" she yelled._

_"Oh c'mon! That ain't scary!" The crowd started to boo._

_Lilly growled. "STOP BOOIN' ME, YA BASTARDS!" her voice clapped and echoed._

_A lot of the buyers backed up and yelped before it turned into laughter. "See?" her seller began. "Fearless and commanding, that she is! Shall she demonstrate a song?" The crowd cheered at her and demanded a song. "Your choice of music, little one," the seller said to Lilly, plugging his ears with cloth._

_Lilly frowned up at him before looking back at the crowd. She started to sing_ _, her eyes shut as she did. She couldn't stand seeing people under the spell of her song._

_'Tis the last rose of summer,_

_Left blooming alone;_

_All her lovely companions_

_Are faded and gone;_

_No flower of her kindred,_

_No rosebud is nigh,_

_To reflect back her blushes,_

_And give sigh for sigh._

_I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!_

_To pine on the stem;_

_Since the lovely are sleeping,_

_Go, sleep thou with them._

_Thus kindly I scatter,_

_Thy leaves o'er the bed,_

_Where thy mates of the garden_

_Lie scentless and dead._

_So soon may I follow,_

_When friendships decay,_

_And from Love's shining circle_

_The gems drop away._

_When true hearts lie withered,_

_And fond ones are flown,_

_Oh! who would inhabit_

_This bleak world alone?_

_Lilly opened her eyes and gazed at her stunned audience. She fidgeted with her hands nervously._

_"You're a freak!" someone shouted. "You belong in a circus!"_

_Lilly started crying and covered her face. She knew that was coming. People kept shouting insults at her._

_"Freak!"_

_"Monster!"_

_"Evil spawn of Satan!"_

_"Witch!"_

_The seller knelt down to the girl and turned her around. "Lilly, look at me."_

_Lilly continued to sob and shook her head. "Why are they bein' so mean, Nathan? I don't like bein' like this! I hate it! Why did ya make me do it?! Those men killed Sean's Da! Why?!" Lilly demanded, tears streaming down her cheeks._

_Nathan picked her up, walking off the platform as the crowd started throwing vegetables and other things on the platform. "I'm sorry, girl. We'll figure somethin' out for you and your brother and Sean, okay?"_

_Lilly nodded as she cried into his shoulder. Her eyes looked at the angry crowd but Lilly spotted one dark haired, dark eyed fellow with a soft smile and in a dark red suit. She clung to Nathan as they walked off but then Nathan handed her to Brian and he held her in his arms. "You're alright, deirfiúr beag, you're alright."_

_"Come on, let's get you guys outta here," Nathan said. They left the selling area and Nathan rubbed his face. "Brian, Sean, I know she's gifted but I think we're done advertisin' her gifts. I don't like how them folks reacted to-"_

_"I'll buy her," a man said behind them. Lilly raised her head. It was the man in the crowd with the nice smile. He had a strange accent. Certainly wasn't American. "I'll buy her along with the two boys_."

_"Ah, my favorite customer," Nathan said. "Boys aren't for sale, though. They're her handlers."_

_"I see. Well, since I am buying her, they will need to stay with her, yes?"_

_"Yes. Brian, Sean, Lilly, this is-" Nathan asked._

_"Papa. Just call me Papa."_

* * *

Lilly walked out of the castle with her pups toward the gardens. Lilly went into the maze and started running. She found her favorite bench, sat on it, and took deep breaths. She felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She did not like the looks she got in there. Lilly knew those expressions all too well. Lilly looked down at her watch and kissed it. At least she got her watch back. The boys whimpered at her and she scratched them both behind their ears. She was still having a hard time breathing so she put a hand on her chest. It felt tight. Lilly felt some sort of anxiety attack coming on. It got to the point where she began hyperventilating. Lilly tried to slow her breathing but it was difficult. Why was she feeling this way? Suddenly the boys started to growl.

"Mrs. Morgan?" she heard a man say.

Lilly blinked and looked over, seeing a man. She gasped and shot off the bench. "Agent Milton?"

"Yes. Hello."

Lilly swallowed hard and put a hand to her chest. "You...what are you doin' here?"

"I followed you, of course."

The boys snarled and snapped their chops. "Are you here to kidnap me? Take me back to America?"

"No. I'm pretty sure you'll be returning to the States eventually."

Lilly blinked a few times. "Boys, behave." Brian and James relaxed and sat down. "Then why are you here?" Lilly asked the agent.

Agent Milton clasped his hands behind his back. "I was hopin' to speak with you."

"Oh." Lilly looked around. "About what?" She was expecting an ambush at any moment.

"It seems Mr. Cornwall and Sir Patrick withdrew their bounties. I was curious as to why. Those two were quite obsessed with you...as is Papa." Lilly chuckled. "Is that funny?"

"Men tend to get protective of me; possessive, even, but as it turns out, Mr. Cornwall is an old friend of the family, but I only knew him as "Uncle Levi". He was merely concerned for my well being. As for Sir Patrick, him and Arthur had a nice chat and Patrick decided he would respect my wishes and let me be."

"Yet here you are in Ireland on his property."

"I was invited."

"I see."

Lilly crossed her arms. "That still leaves Papa, though, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Agent Milton inclined his head. "In fact, he's increased the bounty. One hundred thousand dollars."

Lilly sat back down. She felt like she just might faint. "You're kiddin'."

"No. But...I am curious, Mrs. Morgan. Why is he so determined to capture you? Sure, you have "abilities" but that's still a lot of money."

"It is, Agent Milton."

The agent slowly took a step forward. "May I sit?"

Lilly scooted over to give him room. "You may."

Milton sat down next to her. "I have a proposition for you, Mrs. Morgan. You come back to the States and return to "Papa", and I will leave the Van der Linde gang alone."

Lilly's mouth went agape. "Are you serious? Why?"

Milton chuckled. "As I said, you are worth a lot of money. More than all of them combined."

Lilly stared at the ground. "I see. I don't think they'd give me up so easily, especially Arthur." Lilly stared down at her watch, fidgeting with it. Her gang was her family and she wanted them to be safe. And after all the looks she got inside, Lilly felt Ireland no longer had a place for her. The Irish countess would have to sell her estate and rescind her title. Unless... "But...may I have some time to consider this? I will have to make arrangements."

"Of course." Mr. Milton stood and sighed. "For what it's worth, I am sorry."

"For?"

"I heard you were tortured recently? Flogged, almost a hundred lashes?"

Lilly looked at him, standing to face him. "Do not feel sorry for me, Agent Milton. They're just scars."

"Scars?" he asked, confused. "A whipping gave you scars?"

"The whip was a cat o' nine tails, Agent Milton." Lilly removed her shawl and walked past him with Brian and James. "When I return to the states, I'll let you know my decision." When she left the maze, Lilly put the shawl back on and walked back into the castle with her pups. She reentered the ballroom, saw Arthur talking with Sean, and walked to them. "Boys," she said with a smile. It was a fake one, but she had to put on a strong and happy face. She was not going to tell them about Milton's offer.

* * *

_5-year-old_ _Lilly slurped the spaghetti noodles into her mouth with a giggle. She was at a restaurant in New York City with Brian, Sean, Nathan, and "Papa". It was empty, save for all of them. Brian gave her a chastising look as she ate but Lilly ignored it. Papa also took part in the meal, but soon he was done and gave his hands a clap._ _"So, Mr. Nathan," Papa started. "Shall we discuss this business about the sale?"_

_Nathan nodded. "Yes sir."_

_"Excellent. Considering your lack of finances, I can offer you...hmm, how much did you say she was worth?"_

_"Two hundred dollars."_

_"I will give you five hundred._ _"_

_Brian almost choked on his noodles. "Five hundred?"_

_"Yes."_

_Nathan smiled. "Well, I think we have a deal." Nathan took out a booklet. "Let me just write up this bill of sale."_

_"Haha, excellent. Then it is settled." Papa looked at Lilly and grinned. "There's chocolates in the kitchen. I can't remember where, but feel free to search the area thoroughly."_

_Lilly got up and went running through the kitchen door with a giant smile on her face. Brian, Sean, Nathan, and Papa stared at the door and a high pitched scream came from behind the door._

_Sean laughed. "Now ya done it."_

_"What in God's name are you doing, you little street rat? Get out of here!"_ _a woman on the kitchen shouted._

_A waiter came running out. "What a menacing little child! Papa! Where did you find this one?"_

_"Just bought her, poor thing. She truly sounds like a little scamp, doesn't she?" Papa laughed._ _Cooking pots were heard crashing down to the floor. Papa took a sip from his cup. Brian went to get up but Papa stopped him. "Oh, don't worry about that. Eat your spaghetti, my boy."_

_Sean began to giggle, but Nathan merely smiled as he finished his writing and handed a small sheet of paper to Papa._

_"I said get out, you dirty mongrel! Stop rummaging through my kitchen!"_ _the woman shouted again from beyond the kitchen doors._ _More noises of pots and pans falling went on, as well as a few plates breaking. Brian and Sean stared at the door. Papa took another sip of his drink before setting the cup down._ _More staff members came running out of the kitchen._ _"Are you daft in the head? No, give those back! Those are not for-"_

_Lilly came back out with a box full of chocolates. "Found it," she said with a smile._

_Papa smiled at her. "Well done, little Lilly! That was very quick!"_

_The doors swung open and Lilly went running back to the table and sat as a short, plump woman in a blue plaid maid dress and an apron came walking out, her face red with anger. She shook a rolling pin at Lilly. "Sir, this child has made a complete mess of my kitchen!"_

_"You were chasin' me! I thought you were gonna eat me, ya fat arsed witch!" Lilly shouted._

_"Lillian Rose!" Brian yelled. Sean started giggling again._

_Lilly glared at Brian. "She started it! She called me a street rat and a dirty mongrel!"_

_"I see you met Mrs. Bartleby," Papa said, trying to contain his laughter. "I did tell Lilly there were chocolates in the kitchen."_

_"Oh, so this is your doing?" The cook shook the rolling pin at Papa. "Sir, these shenanigans you pull every time you enter my restaurant are becoming very tiresome!"_

_"Maybe for you," Papa replied. Mrs. Bartleby growled and walked back into the kitchen. Brian stared at Papa in disbelief while Lilly gorged herself on chocolates. The strange man stood up with a grin and gave Lilly a quarter. "Your handlers and I have some business to discuss. We won't be long, but feel free to explore the place and terrorize the rest of the staff._ _Oh, and I believe there's ice cream in the kitchen, too."_

_Lilly smiled, got up with her chocolates, and went running all over the place. Eventually she went back into the kitchen. "Would ya like some chocolates, Mrs. Bartleby?"_

_"Get out before I hit you with this-"_

_"DON'TCHA THREATEN ME, LADY!" Lilly's voice boomed. More plates fell and crashed._

_Mrs. Bartleby screeched and ran out of the kitchen. "My God! Who is that little varmint?"_

_Papa chuckled. "My new pupil, Mrs. Bartleby."_

* * *

"You're quiet, Lilly," Arthur said on the ride home from the ball. "Are you okay?"

Lilly was sulking about something and he knew it. "Just tired," she said as she stared out the window.

"Liar," he said with a smile, hoping to try and lighten her mood.

"I'm not."

Oh boy. She was definitely unhappy about something. "Lilly, what's wrong?"

"I told you. I'm tired," she growled.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Liar."

Lilly glared at him. "Do I look bright eyed and bushy tailed to ya?!"

"No. You look like you got somethin' on your mind."

"I don't want to talk about it."

The Earl frowned and sat next to her in the carriage. "I'm just concerned, darlin'."

Lilly sighed and rested her head on Arthur's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I just...the way those people looked at me tonight..."

Arthur nodded. "Yeah. I certainly didn't like it, either. I wanted to beat the shit outta all of 'em."

Lilly snickered. "How unbecomin' of an Earl."

Arthur chuckled, lifted her chin and kissed her. "You think that's unbecomin'?" Arthur pulled her dress up and stroked her womanhood and she gasped. "Oh, no drawers?" he said with a smile.

Lilly giggled. "I like to make it easier for you."

Arthur chuckled deeply and kissed her neck. He out a finger in and wiggled it around. As usual, her pussy was warm and practically dripping wet. "Ooohh, so wet already."

"I'm always wet for you, mo chuisle," she said with a purr.

Arthur chortled. He played inside her and her thighs opened more. He put his mouth close to hers but didn't make contact. "Do you know how much I love you, Lillian?"

"Yes. I love you too," she moaned.

"I don't think you know how much." He fingered her faster, his thumb massaging her clit. He placed a kiss on her throat. "The day we went and got Sean, I told him nothin' meant more to me than this gang. I said the bond us members share is the most real thing to me and I'd kill and happily die for it, but there is one thing that is more important than the gang. You."

Lilly arched her head back. "Tell me, Arthur. How much do you love me?"

"Nothin' means more to me than you. Our bond we share is the most real thing to me. I'd kill for you, I'd die for you...I'd do anythin' for you, Lillian except one thing."

"What's that?" Lilly moaned out, her climax coming close.

"I will never let you go. Not ever." Arthur kissed her deeply as Lilly achieved an orgasm, moaning loudly into his mouth. "You are mine, Lillian."

Lilly gulped when she looked at him. Arthur was being very possessive. As most men tend to get when she bothers to give them any attention. This shook her but she only smiled at him and kissed him. "And you are mine, Arthur."

Arthur and Lilly made it back to Darach ar an gCnoc as did the MacGuires and the Blacks on a matter of two hours. They all retired for the night but apparently Arthur wasn't quite done with his young wife. He made love to Lilly after helping her out of her dress, bustle, and corset. Lilly snuggled up next to her husband and quickly fell asleep. So did Arthur.

* * *

_Lilly is held up in the darkness by chains. A cat o' nine tails hits her repeatedly in the back. Lilly cries out as each one hits her. Brutus and Mr. Pierce laugh each time._

_"AAHH! STooooOOOP IIIiiiiT!" she sobs loudly, her voice warbling but the effect still claps throughout the pitch black area._

_"Ha! So much for your shout, you freak!" someone shouts._

_"Evil witch!" another shouts._

_"Kill her! Kill the witch!"_

_Lilly cries out again. "STop it! STOP HurtING ME!"_

_"Lillian!" she hears Arthur bellow. "Wake up!"_

_"Arthur! Help me! They won't STOOOOOOOOP HITTIN' ME!"_

_Lilly, wake up!" Arthur shouts again._

_Lilly falls to the ground and looks around. Her sobs echo throughout the room that she finds herself in. She looks up and sees a big house. It's the same from all her night terrors and she screams. "NOT AGAIN, PLEASE!"_

_"Lilly, please wake up!"_

_The room shakes and she scoots back, seeing the front door of the house open. A shadow stands in the doorway. "Piccolo fiore! Get back here now!' it shouts._

_"NO NO NO NO NOOOO!" Lilly cries._

_"WAKE UP!" Arthur and Sean shout._

Lilly gasped for air and struggled out of bed. She knocked into the bedroom wall and slumped down, holding her knees to her chest. Her eyes, wide and full of hot tears, scanned the room desperately. She saw Arthur and Sean standing over her with candles.

"Lillian," Arthur said.

Lilly stared at him, trembling from the shock of her night terror. "W-What...what...?"

Arthur got on his knees in front of her. "C'mere," he said, holding his arms out to her. "Come on, you're okay."

Lilly wrapped her arms around him and sobbed. "I need my tea."

"Karen is makin' it now."

Karen walked in. "Arthur, what is this stuff in the vial? It was with the tea fixin's.

Lilly looked up. Arthur ahemed, let go of Lilly, and walked to Karen. He whisperered. "...sedative to put her to sleep after..."

Lilly stood up. "I fuckin' knew it!" she yelled angrily.

Arthur snapped around. "What?"

"You been druggin' me with the god damn tea, haven't you?!"

Arthur lowered his head. "Yes, but I-"

"Every time I had it?!" Lilly marched over to him and got on his face. "EVERY TIME?!

"Yes, after your third night terror."

"Why?! Arthur, how could you do that to me!?" She grabbed his candle and shoved him into a wall. He hit it hard. "Why would you and Da and Athair-"

Lilly looked down when she stepped on something. She noticed the floor was littered with glass and other objects. She looked back up at him. Arthur rubbed the back of his head. "Ow."

Lilly cocked her head to the side. "What happened to our room?" she asked sternly.

"That's why we been spikin' your tea, Lilly," Arthur said. "When you have night terrors and you use your shout, a lot of shit goes flyin' and breaks."

Lilly blinked at him then looked at the windows. All of the glass was shattered. "...I really am a freak."

"No you're not, deirfiúr," Sean said, going over to her. "You're-"

Lilly backed up from him. "Did you know about this?"

"Lillian," Arthur got up. "I...I'm sorry, but-"

"Why did none of ya tell me? I coulda handled knowin' it!"

"Really?" Arthur approached her. "You sure about that?"

"Yes! Why would you keep a secret like that from me?"

"Why won't you talk about Saint Denis?"

Lilly backed up. "That is _not_ the same thing!"

"We didn't tell you to protect you. You didn't tell us to do the same."

Lilly scowled. "I didn't tell ya Papa was still after me fer years tah protect ya! The rest is..."

"Somethin' only Sean knows?"

"Yes!"

Sean lowered his head. "Arthur. Maybe she's right about keepin' secrets from her?"

Lilly eyed both of them. "Oh what the fuck? Sean, did you tell him?"

"Yes...everythin' I knew. I'm sorry I betrayed yer trust, deirfiúr, but I-"

"Get out. Both of you. I don't want to see you."

"But Lilly-"

"SEAN GET OUT!"

Sean went running but Arthur stayed. "Lilly, be reasonable here!"

"Oh, I'm bein' unreasonable? Ya know somethin'? Ya just couldna stand someone else knowin' more about me than you, is that it?"

"Of course not!" Arthur belted.

Karen sighed. "The tea?"

"Just the tea without the fuckin' drug," Lilly said bitterly.

Karen set the the tea on the nightstand. "Should I go?"

"Yes," Lilly said. "Arthur and I are about to have a real fuckin' dialogue here."

Karen left the room and Lilly glared at Arthur. "Lilly, I'm sorry. Just let me explain."

Lilly scoffed. "Ya know, not even Sean knows everythin'."

"How?"

"He wasn't...there all the time, Arthur. And neither was Brian." Lilly looked around. "Where are me pups?"

"They got scared and-"

"Oh, now me pups are scared of me. That's just GREAT!" her voice made more glass break. She covered her mouth.

"Well, shit was bein' tossed everywhere! Christ, Lilly! Do you know how dangerous it is when you have a night terror?"

"Now I do. Ya shoulda told me!"

"Why? So you could feel like a freak?!" Arthur approached her. "You've been through so much, Lilly, and we didn't want you to burden yourself with somethin' like this. So yes. We sedated you so you wouldn't have a second one. Then we realized you have a trigger. Bringing up your past. And that is why we don't push you on the subject and why I asked Sean to tell me all that he knew so I wouldn't accidentally mention anythin' related to it."

Lilly sighed and put the candle on the dresser. "Arthur...you still shoulda told me."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Lilly crossed her arms. "Well, since we're lettin' secrets out, I have one too."

"What is it?"

Lilly turned her back to Arthur. "Agent Milton was at the party tonight."

"He was?"

"Yes. And he said...he will leave all of you alone and not come after you if I let him take me back to Papa."

Arthur held her from behind. "That is _not_ happenin'."

"It's not your decision to make."

Arthur turned her around. "Don't you tell me you're actually considerin' it!"

"I am! I would do anythin' to keep you and the gang safe! I would kill for ya, I would die for ya, and I'd even go back to that bastard if it meant ya could be safe!" Lilly yelled.

"Then how would we get away from the law?"

"You're an Earl now. You can bring them here without me."

Arthur embraced his wife. "You can't do this thing, Lilly. I ain't gonna let you, and I do have a say in it because I'll be damned if that piece of shit gets anywhere near you. You understand me?"

Lilly nodded and sobbed into his shoulder. "Yes."

Arthur grabbed her head and kissed her. "Mo grá," he chuckled. "Faithful and bold, indeed."

Lilly chuckled sadly. "Yes."

Arthur picked her up in his arms and brought her to the bed. "Now, do you want the tea with or without your sedative?"

"With. I don't want to risk anyone gettin' hurt if I have another one."

Arthur placed her in bed and grabbed the vial. He put in half, mixed it in, and handed her the cup. "I am sorry, Lilly."

"I am too." Lilly took the cup, blew on it and took a sip. "How did you guys even find stuff like this?"

"Doctors, mostly. You have a prescription you don't know about."

"Oh for fuck's sake..."


	28. The Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm just going to say...just assume every chapter has mature content.

It was a few days later and Arthur woke up with Lilly's side of the bed empty. _"Shame,"_ he thought to himself.

He looked up at the canopy of the bed and laughed, tucking his hands behind his head. The second Earl of Moycullen. It had a nice ring to it. The bedroom was very nice, too. This whole manor was nice. He laughed again, taking in the mahogany posters that held up the canopy. There were two oak nightstands, three windows, three benches for each window, a few pillowed chairs, two dressers, two armoires, and an oriental rug on the floor. All made of oak. Apparently the O'Callaghan's were fond of oak. Mahogany too, but definitely oak. Then he remembered an oak tree was on their family crest, so he reckoned that was why. He got up and dressed into a white shirt, blue jeans, suspenders, and black cowboy boots. Arthur left the room, went downstairs, and went outside...and there were children outside playing with the wolf pups and Lilly. The scene made him smile. Lilly laughed and ran around with two children on her back and one more child on her leg.

"Alright, ya chiselers! Ya ready fer somethin' special?!"

"Yes yes yes!" the children cried.

"Hang on!" Lilly started twirling and the two girls and boy began laughing with high pitched giggles. "Ya wantah go faster?!"

"Yes please milady!"

Lilly went even faster and the children laughed louder. Arthur crossed his arms and laughed as he watched them. Lilly would have made a great mother. Lilly spotted him in his twirling and stopped spinning. "Oh, ya little tykes havena met the earl yet! Go get 'im! He loves bein' tackled by monsters!"

All the kids got off and started running at him, roaring like animals. Oh shit. Arthur ran off the steps and through the courtyard. "You'll never take me alive!" Arthur shouted.

The kids squealed as they chased after Arthur. Lilly fell on her butt and pointed while laughing.

"Fergus! Girls! Come in fer breakfast!" Breena yelled from the door.

The kids ran in screaming and wailing like happy banshees and Arthur laughed as he went to Lilly. He picked her up and kissed her. "Friends of yours?"

"Breena's little sisters and brother. Visiting with their mum. Arthur, I...oh boy..." Lilly staggered into Arthur's arms and laughed. "I got dizzy, sorry."

"Do you need breakfast?" he asked, holding her up.

"I don't know. I wasn't feelin' too good this mornin', neither. I was supposed to go huntin' but Sean insisted I wait for you."

Arthur pouted a little and put a hand to her cheek, studying her face. Lilly did look a little sickly and felt a bit warmer than usual today. "Hmm, feelin' under the weather, huh? Well, I can go huntin' and you can get some rest."

"I'll let ya hunt but I'm comin' with. Ya gotta avoid kelpies and other creatures."

"Kelpies?"

"Beautiful horses that will drag ya into the swamps if ya ain't careful, me love," she giggled.

Arthir chortled happily. "Hmm, Irish superstition?"

"Ha! I saw one when I was a little chiseler. Almost got me once. I wanted tah ride it but me mum stopped me. Abhartach wanders these parts too. Think of him as a vampire. Then ya got far darrigs and cluricauns, those are like leprechauns. Far darrigs are red and help changelings, but cluricauns are just drunk little bastards that ride sheep and dogs. Those guys are funny."

Lilly seemed almost delirious as she talked. Now he was worried. "Did you smoke some of that Seven Dwarf stuff, mo stór?"

Lilly smiled from ear to ear. "I mighta done it, mo chuisle, or I might notta done it. Who can say fer sure?"

Arthur laughed and cradled her in his arms. "You took your pipe this morning."

"Yep!"

Arthur sighed and gave her a playful, chastising look. "Is that stuff really good for you, I wonder?"

"Hehehe, it really is, me love. It puts things in such a wonderful perspective and it sure as hell beats puttin' me tah sleep," she said with a sexy pout. "At least I can fuck ya when I'm on the Seven Dwarf herb!"

Arthur cackled loudly and walked to the house. "You silly girl. I outta spank you."

"Oh, is that a promise?" she said with an arched eyebrow and a suggestive smirk. "I might just like bein' spanked."

Lilly smacked his butt and Arthur growled into her neck. "It's a promise now!" He blew a raspberry on her neck and it made Lilly giggle furiously as he carried her into the manor and up the stairs.

"Will ya not be requirin' breakfast, milord?" Breena asked from the kitchen door frame.

"Later," Arthur said with a sigh. "My wife needs tendin' to. She had her nerve calmin' smoke again."

"Oh dear," Breena laughed. "I figured as much. One of the children asked about her trip to America as a child and, well..."

Arthur nodded knowingly. "I see." He stared at Lilly who was red faced with giggles. "Lilly, we really need you to deal with all your trauma right."

Lilly beamed as Arthur got to the top of the stairs. "And we will. But..." she put a mouth on his ear. "Give me a right good spankin' first?"

Arthur chuckled deeply as she giggled happily. "Of course, Mrs. Morgan," he said huskily. When Arthur put her down, he slapped Lilly's butt when they took a left down the hallway.

"Oh! Mr. Morgan!" Lilly laughed. He dragged her down the hall to their bedroom at the end and shut the door behind them.

* * *

Breena shook her head. "Such strange lovers, those two are," she said to herself. "So bloody strange."

Breena shut the kitchen doors. The kitchen was simple with a buffet full of china by the red side door. The middle counter was topped with various meats, vegetables, spices, and cutlery. There was an iron rimmed fireplace and the walls were white, the ceilings were oak, of course, and the three windows were large with oak leaves and wolf heads carved into the panes. There was a wooden servant table with eight wooden chairs. The table and chairs were the simplest looking pieces of furniture in the kitchen, save for the edges also having leaves carved in. It was a piece the first Earl of Moycullen never got around to finishing, according to Breena's knowledge.

"Sister," little Fergus asked. "Is m'lady in trouble with m'lord?"

Breena laughed and looked at Sean and Karen who were chuckling and giggling quietly amongst themselves. "Yes, but not the bad kind of trouble," Sean guffawed.

Breena grabbed a piece of bread and threw it at his head. "Shh! Don't ya be corruptin' Fergus with that sort of talk, Mr. MacGuire!"

Sean grabbed the roll that hit his face and giggled shamelessly. "I'm sorry, Miss Harington." He took a bite and smiled. "Ya gotta understand...those two kept themselves restrained from one another fer far too long. They got a lotta pent up frustrations tah get out."

Breena held back a smile. "How long?"

Karen interjected. "Four years. No. It'll be about five years in a month or two, I think. Yes. Five years in August is when Lilly started flirtin' with Arthur."

"She wasn't flirtin' with the Englishman," Sean giggled. "She was huntin' him. And boy, did she hunt him well."

"Oh good Lord," Breena said breathlessly, making a sign of the cross. "Heaven help 'em both." Sean, Karen and Breena laughed. Fergus, the short brown haired six year old boy, and the two blonde girls, Mary and Molly, ages ten and twelve, looked at them all with childlike puzzlement. Breena cleared her throat. "Are ya done with yer breakfast?"

* * *

Arthur and Lilly almost ripped their clothes off just to touch one another, collapsed on the bed together and immediately began necking, billing and cooing to one another.

"Arthur, oh Arthur, yer such a man!" Lilly giggled.

"And you're such a woman!" Arthur replied with a gruff voice.

Lilly smiled against his mouth as she rolled him on top of her. "Mmmm, ya...ya make me want ya all the time!"

Arthur put his elbows on the bed and kissed along her jawline and neck. "I can't keep my hands off you, Lillian. When you wouldn't have me after you came back, I..." he thrust into her with one rough stroke and she yelped out in pleasure. "I needed you so bad, Lillian, you have no clue how much."

"I needed you so bad," she whispered, putting her arms and legs around him as he shoved himself into her again and again. "Uh! Ah! Yes! Uh! Harder!"

Arthur slammed into her as hard as he could, though his rhythm was slow. Each time he grunted. "Mm, mm, mm, erm, Lillian, you're...so...hot...and tight!"

Lilly pressed her lips on his and he sat up on his knees. Lilly put a hand on the bed with her other hand on the nape of his neck. They pressed foreheads together as Lilly pivoted her hips and ground herself on Arthur. He groaned loudly.

"You like that?" Lilly asked, already out of breath and sweating.

"Yes. Do it more." Lilly's head fell back as Arthur kissed and licked her breasts, pressing his hands into her back to hold her upper body up. Her knees went to the bed and they both moaned as they continued to engage in sex. Their voices went up in volume, Lilly's lower body making more aggressive movements. "Yeah, Lilly, keep...yeah, yeah, just like that. Don't stop," Arthur growled deeply. "You feel so good, Lillian, I don't know how much more I can take until I come in you."

Lilly got off, turned around and went on her hands and knees. wiggling herself in front of his face. "Does your rooster need a break?"

"Hell no. But, ooohh, your honeypot...I gotta..." Arthur pulled her by the legs and pressed his lips against her pussy. Lilly cried out and squealed in pleasure. Arthur slipped his tongue in and flicked it around, making Lilly moan out more.

"Oh fuck, fuck, fuuuuuck!" Lilly pressed her face into the pillow, muffling her screams as Arthur began rubbing Lilly's clit with his tongue.

"Mmmm, you taste so good."

"Arthur, get on your back."

Arthur laid back and Lilly went backwards, hovering her womanhood over his face. When Arthur began to suckle her again, he groaned out when Lilly started sucking him off.

"Good God, woman, what...aaahh..." Lilly chuckled as she shoved his cock down her throat and Arthur hissed into her. "Aaahhhh...ah, ah, ah, ah. ah, don't, stop..."

Lilly's head bobbed up and down as her hands tickled his balls. Lilly felt herself coming closer to an orgasm and she bucked her hips once. Arthur began fingering her furiously and soon, her inner vaginal walls spasmed when her climax erupted and she moaned loudly. It wasn't long until Arthur reached his own and the warm, sticky liquid from his member spilled into Lilly's mouth. She gulped it all and rolled off Arthur onto her back. They were both breathing heavily and sweating.

"That was a, heh heh, wonderful position," Arthur commented. "I take it Karen told you about it?"

"Yes. You've never heard of it?" Lilly asked.

"I have."

Lilly crawled up to lay next to him. "You know, I've always been curious but never asked...how do you know so much about sex? You don't seem like the type to stick your rooster in just any ole' hen house."

A snort came out of Arthur followed by a loud belly laugh. "Hahaha! No, I'm not. I chose all my women wisely."

Lilly scrunched up her lips, her eyes full of feigned jealousy. She slapped his arm. "Bithiúnach!"

Arthur laughed again and pulled Lilly to his chest. "Women like to talk. I had a hard time havin' sex sometimes, so we'd talk instead. I had questions about what women like in bed, and, well..."

Lilly kissed his chin. "Why did you have trouble?"

Arthur puffed at her. "They weren't you."

Lilly blushed. "Liar."

"No, I'm serious. For the last...wow, almost five years now, ain't it? Since we started flirtin'?"

"Yes, I suppose so. It was a little after my 17th birthday."

"Yes, that's comin' up pretty quick here."

"Mmhmm. Ha! You remember what ya gave me?"

"Yes. Your bow. You had one but it broke."

"And it's lasted me to this day. Hehehe. Ya got good taste in weapons, Mr. Morgan."

"Yes. In women too, it seems," he said, smiling at her in a teasing way.

Lilly smacked his chest. "Yer an arse!"

"Oh you love it! _"_

"Do not!"

"Liar."

"Bithiúnach."

Arthur chortled and pecked her lips. "So, have you decided on selling the place or not?"

"...I think we should keep it and steal a lot of money back home to bring everyone here."

Arthur laughed. "Once an outlaw, always an outlaw."

"Yes, but here we wouldn't have to be outlaws no more. We'd be free. Really free."

He nodded his head. "This is true, but do you think they can behave themselves?"

"They better. All I have to do is shout and they'll behave, but I'll only use it as a last resort. Shoutin' makes things too easy."

"Ha! You love your challenges, don't you darlin'?"

"Yes. Why do you think I love you so much?"

Arthur smirked. "Am I challengin'?"

"Yes. And I love that about you."

Arthur kissed her briefly. "So, how do we convince the gang that this is the way to go?"

"Well, you still have that camera from what's-his-name, the Jim "Boy" Calloway book writer. Take pictures of the manor. We got enough rooms for everyone. It's huge. The acreage is beautiful. Jack will have other kids to play with here. And...we'd all be safe. Under the protection of not one, not two, but three nobles. You, me and Patrick."

"That is a very valid argument. And yeah, I still got the camera."

"Good. You know the Blacks leave for their tour today. I'm thinkin' we should leave, too. Go back home and make preparations," Lilly said, biting her lip. "But what is your say in it? I know a million dollars is a lot of money, but..."

Arthur chuckled. "You think I could give this all up now? Hell no. Besides, if Dutch and the rest don't want this place, we still could get Patrick to buy the land and manor, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, then it's settled. Now...how's about we stay just a bit longer? We could mail the pictures out."

Lilly nuzzled his cheek and kissed it. "You really are spoiled now, m'lord."

A deep and gruff chuckle escaped Arthur's throat. "Yes I am, m'lady. Speakin' of spoilin'..." Arthur put Lilly on her back and trailed his lips down her body. "This guy needs more honey."

* * *

After they got the pictures of Darach ar an gCnoc developed in Galway, the earl and countess sent the photos on their way along with a detailed description of their plan in a letter as well a saying they were going to stay for a couple more weeks. After those weeks, they decided it was time to go and the couples booked passage back to New York City. Lilly kept most the dresses at the estate, save for the dark blue dress and the crimson one. Arthur insisted she wear those a lot in their tent, so she obliged for his sexual fantasy. Arthur brought some of the suits and the tuxedo. They stayed in third class this time and the voyage went by smoothly. They partied every night, Lilly did a few renditions of "Seven Drunken Nights" while only slightly inebriated. The first and second night she got so drunk she threw up so she decided to take it easy the rest of the voyage. When they landed back in the States, Lilly was happy to set foot back on American soil. Lilly wrote a letter to Uncle Levi thanking him for his generosity and for taking the price off her head. She also wrote a letter to Patrick, asking him to keep an eye on the place and thanking him for everything he'd done for her and Arthur. They got tickets for the train and left when her wolves and the horses were loaded up. Lilly's train ride was not a pleasant one as she came down with some sort of illness of where she just threw up and didn't want to eat anything. Arthur was concerned but Lilly insisted it had to be the Irish cuisine that offset her. She was no longer used to it so Lilly insisted she'd be fine after a few more days. When they got back to Valentine, no one was there to greet them. Lilly got concerned as the luggage and horses and wolves were offloaded but apparently Dutch left a note for them with the ticket clerk. Lilly opened it and read it quietly to herself.

_Hey kids,_

_The Pinkertons got wind of us at Horseshoe so we had to move again. We're south of it now in a place called Clemens Point, not that far from Rhodes. We bought a wagon for you and it's at the stables for your luggage. We got the pictures of the estate and the whole gang agreed the new plan is a great plan. I don't know why we didn't think of it before. We'll talk more when you get here. Hope to see you guys soon._

_From your father with love,_

_Tacitus Kilgore_

Lilly sighed with a laugh and showed the letter to Arthur. "You gotta be kiddin' me!" Arthur said. "God damn those agent bastards!"

Lilly hushed him. "It's okay. We'll get money soon and then we can all leave. Let's just get to camp. I'm still not feeling all that great. I think all this travelin' has gotten to me."

Arthur frowned and kissed her before they got the wagon Dutch bought for their trek. Doc and Liath were more than happy to drag them along after being cooped up for so long. During the trip south, Lilly had to stop a few times because she felt sick. Arthur doted over her but she insisted she was fine. By the time they got to Clemens Point, Lilly went straight for the tent and laid down. She heard Arthur explain that Lilly was pretty ill at the moment and had been since the first day on the ship back from Ireland, along with severe tiredness, a loss of appetite, headaches, and dizzy spells but he figured that was from all the nausea. Of course, he also mentioned Lilly refused to go see a doctor but if she wasn't better by morning, he was going to make her go. The 'Welcome Home Party' started nonetheless. Lilly puked and slept through most of it and by morning, she was still not better. True to his word, Arthur took her to the doctor in Rhodes. The doctor saw her immediately and made Arthur wait in the lobby.

* * *

Arthur paced back and forth in the lobby. He was very worried about Lilly's health. Was her resurrection only for a short time? Was she dying? He didn't know.

"I'M WHAT?!" he heard Lilly shout.

He ran to the door and opened it. "What's goin' on?" Arthur tried to ask calmly.

Lilly looked at him with a pale face. "Nothin'. Go back in the lobby. I'll be out in a minute."

"But Lilly, I-"

"I know. It's fine. Just go." Arthur sighed and shut the door but he tried to listen in. "...impossible! It's impossible, Doc! I can't be...that!" he heard Lilly say.

"I'm afraid you are, Mrs. Morgan. Mr. Morgan, does he..." the doctor's voice drifted off.

"...don't know. He..."

"...I see. Well, this is...here's some medicine...symptoms."

"...you. Do ya think he'll know...between the..."

"...he had children before?" Arthur tried to listen more closely. What did Isaac have to do with this? "...I see. My condolences."

"Yes, he...it was a horrible thing for Arthur. It almost destroyed him, Isaac and Eliza dyin'. He canna go through somethin' like that again." Arthur shut his eyes and frowned. Was Lilly dying?

"...see...well, this parasite of yours? I have...but I also have this in case you...but really, I think you should..."

"...I want it, you have no idea...but no, I won't do that..."

"Good. Now, let's get you back..."

Arthur heard shifting about and went back to the lobby chair. What the fuck kind of parasite was making Lilly sick? The door opened and Lilly looked deathly pale. The doctor came out with her and smiled softly at Arthur.

"She's goin' to be just fine, Mr. Morgan. I have medicine here for her symptoms. She just has a parasite, is all."

"A parasite is causin' all this fuss with my wife?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. I'm afraid one that she got on that boat to Ireland," the doctor said. Lilly shut her eyes and sat down. Arthur nodded and took the bag of medicine. "She has somethin' for her headaches, nausea and appetite. The rest should balance itself out once she has proper sleep. She hasn't been sleeping well because of the vomiting."

"But she's goin' to be okay?"

"She'll be fine."

Arthur sighed in relief. "How long will it take for this parasite to go away?"

"Eight months."

"Huh. Eight months?" He looked at the doctor suspiciously. "She's gonna have this thing for eight months?"

"Yes. It's not really a bad parasite. Oh, but it may cause a ruckus on her emotions."

Arthur looked at Lilly then back at the doctor. "Her emotions?"

Lilly stood up. "I can explain the rest, doctor, thank you."

Lilly paid the man, grabbed a bag from him and walked out. Arthur went after her. "Lillian, what kind of parasite is this?"

"Ugh, just an inconvenient one." Lilly stopped herself. "No, not inconvenient. Just...well...shite, I don't know what else to call it!" she snapped, glaring at the ground. "No, it's problematic. God, what am I goin' to tell Patrick? I told him I was-" Lilly stopped herself, keeping her eyes down. What was she not telling him?

Arthur lifted her chin. "What is it?

Lilly sighed. "I'd rather go take a nap. I don't..." Lilly almost dropped the bag when she slumped into Arthur's arms.

"Okay, let's get you home." He lifted her in his arms and carried her to Rose. He got her in the saddle and pocketed the bag of medicine before climbing up and trotting out of town. "Just hold on to me, okay?"

Lilly nodded and cuddling into Arthur's chest. "I'm sorry."

"For what, mo stór?"

"For gettin' a parasite," she said glumly. "It's just...Patrick might think I lied."

Arthur laughed. "Lied about what?" When Lilly didn't speak, he stopped the horse and looked at her. She passed out. Poor girl was so tired. He resumed Rose's gait to a slow gallop and eventually they were greeted by Brian and James just outside Clemens Point. "Hey boys. Lilly's fine, she's only got a parasite."

The boys 'arooed' at him and Arthur chuckled, padding into camp with them. Arthur carefully got Lilly down with him and carried her to their tent. When people asked questions, he explained it was 'just a parasite and she'd be fine after a while'. He got her settled and went back for her medicine.

"Arthur!" Sean asked. "Is Lilly okay?"

"Sure. She's just got a parasite, is all. It should go away after a while."

"A parasite? Is she contagious?"

"I...didn't think to ask, but if she was, doc would'a said so, I reckon." Arthur pat Sean's shoulder.

"Sure thing, Arthur. I'm just glad my deirfiúr is gonna be okay."

Sean walked away with renewed vigor. Lilly's husband got her medicine and saw instructions in the bag. He began to read as he walked back towards the camp.

_-_ _One bottle of aspirin for headaches; take one pill as needed._

_-One bottle of liquid dramamine for nausea, take one teaspoon as needed._

_-One bottle of cacao caffeine extract for fatigue, take one teaspoon every morning._

_-Two jars of pickles for food cravings, free of charge. Also recommend ice cream._

_-Exercise to stay healthy and prevent excessive weight gain during all trimesters._

There was more but Arthur stopped walking and reading because he was confused. "What in the hell? What kind of parasite would make her want pickles and ice cream? Weight gain?" Arthur read on.

"Trimesters?!" Suddenly it dawned on him and he looked up. "Holy shit. Sean?!"

Arthur looked around and ran after Sean, calling his name. Sean turned and came back to him. "What's goin' on?"

Arthur laughed excitedly and showed him the list. This was great news! Why didn't Lilly tell him? "She ain't got a parasite, Sean! She's pregnant!"


	29. Pickles and Ice Cream?

"She's pregnant!" Arthur exclaimed with joy. "Dutch! Hosea! Jesus Christ!" Arthur started laughing, his cackling full of happiness as he ran to Dutch's tent. "Dutch! Dutch! Shit, wait a minute!" He ran back and grabbed the list from Sean, then almost ran into Dutch and gave him the list. "Here, read this."

Dutch started reading and Hosea peeked over Dutch's shoulder. "Pickles? Ice cream? Weight gain? Arthur, what in the he-" Dutch's eyes lit up. "Lilly's pregnant? But she's barren!"

"Not anymore!" Arthur smiled with pride. "You both are gonna be grandfathers!"

Hosea snatched the list and beamed. "Grandfathers?! I'll be god damned! Where is she?"

Arthur's face tightened. "Oh, she's asleep! I'm...oh, why didn't she tell me? Why didn't that doctor tell me?" He suddenly remembered what he overheard and frowned. "Oh. I told her...Christ, I really am an idiot!" Arthur took the paper and jogged to his and Lilly's tent. He walked in with a big smile. Lilly was sitting up, puking into a bucket. He grabbed the bottle of dramamine and rushed to her side, grabbing a small teaspoon from the bag and pouring the medicine into it. "Take this, darlin'."

Lilly wiped her mouth and Arthur spoon fed her. She swallowed and put the bucket down. "Ugh, thanks. What the hell is that shite?"

"Dramamine, for your nausea. You have a list of instructions here." Arthur handed it to her and started placing the bottles and jars on her nightstand, one by one. "Feelin' better?"

"Yes, I already do. That stuff works...what in the hell? Why would I want pickles and ice cream? Excessive weight gain? I'm gonna get overly fat from bein' puh...parasited?"

Arthur laughed and stroked her hair. "You ain't got a parasite and you know it," he chastised in a frisky sort of tone.

Lilly looked at him and frowned. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know you said you didn't want any kids. I'm so sorry!" Lilly covered her face.

Arthur pulled her hands back and laughed. "Lillian Rose, ní raibh mé in ann a bheith níos sásta go bhfuil tú ag iompar mo linbh." _[_ _I couldn't be more happy that you are carrying my child.]_

"You're...you're happy about this? But you said-"

Arthur kissed her deeply. "Forget what I said before. I ain't feelin' that way now." He kissed her again but she turned away. "What's wrong? Ain't you happy?"

"I am," she said softly. "But I was so used to the idea of never bearin' children. I wasn't comfortable with it, but I was...I got by. Now, I'm-I'm-I'm confused. How did this happen?"

Arthur smiled brightly at Lilly and put an arm around her. "Sex. That's how it happened."

"I meant me becomin' fertile, ya god damn bithiúnach," Lilly said with a giggle.

"I knew what you meant. I was only tryin' to cheer you up."

"Ya think The Morrigan did it? When I came back from the dead?"

"Hmm," Arthur hummed, scratching his chin. "Maybe, but I don't care how it happened. I'm only happy it did."

Lilly smiled. "Yer gonna be a father! Oh! We're gonna have an heir! Oh! What am I gonna say tah Patrick? Do ya think he'll be mad?"

"I have a feelin' he won't."

"How do you know?"

"Well..."

* * *

_Arthur sat with Patrick in the sitting room of their ship's apartment drinking brandy. "Arthur, if ya dunna mind me asking, how did Lilly become barren? Mr. Pierce told me something about an accident?"_

_"She fell out of a tree. Got impaled by a stick, went right into her womb," Arthur said sadly. "She took it kinda hard."_

_"I would imagine so," Patrick said, drinking from his glass. "Well, ya know, I admire ya bein' with her in spite of that."_

_"I had a kid once." Arthur paused before taking a sip of brandy. "His mother and him died_ _years ago."_

_"I'm sorry. What was yer son's name?"_

_"Isaac. He was only three when he died. And his mother Eliza, she was so young. Nineteen when I met her."_

_"If ya dunna mind me sayin', Lilly told me ya had an issue about your age difference. Was it because of Eliza?"_

_Arthur squinted his eyes in deep thought. "That was part of it. I was a lot older than Eliza," Arthur said with a frown, drinking his brandy. "Mostly, I felt like a dirty old man, but yeah, I think it just hit too close to home when it came to Lilly and me."_

_"But not anymore?"_

_"After bein' lost in a blizzard for three days,_ _Lilly finally got found by one of the gang. She took down a grizzly bear the very next day."_

_Patrick choked on his drink. "She did what?"_ _Arthur laughed as he told Patrick his perspective on Lilly's showdown with a grizzly bear, how she goaded it relentlessly, how the wolves came to her aid, how she used only her bow and knives to slay the beast, and how casual and collected she was afterward. Arthur explained that was when he decided to hell with the age gap and he made Lilly his woman later that day. Patrick looked in awe. "My God, what a woman."_

_Arthur laughed. "She sure is._ _So, let me ask you. Are you still wantin' to pursue her? Even with her infertility?"_

_Patrick sighed and shook his head. "No. Even if she was fertile, I doubt I could ever separate ya from each other, so I hereby concede me claim on her...if ya promise me just one thing."_

_"Of course," Arthur said with a smile._

_"Dunna let that Papa fella have her. He's bad news."_

_"Deal." They clinked glasses and they drank._

* * *

"Huh. That explains a lot," Lilly said, chuckling from her amusement. "So ya didna drink each other under the table?"

"We did. That man can _really_ drink," said Arthur. "I was impressed."

"Who won?"

"I did, of course," he said with a smile.

Lilly raised a brow. "You outdrank an Irishman?" she asked with heavy skepticism in her voice.

"Mmhmm." Arthur quirked his lip then sighed. "Alright. It was a tie. We were both so 'malafoostered' we couldn't keep track, so we called it a tie."

Lilly laughed at him and kissed his lips. "So, are ya hopin' for a boy or a girl?"

"I'm hopin' for a healthy child. What about you?"

"A healthy girl. I'd like to keep this tradition goin' of the eldest girl bein' the Countess of Moycullen."

"Ha! Names?"

Lilly giggled. "I don't know. I never thought of baby names before."

"They'll have to be Irish names, I reckon?"

Lilly shrugged. "I dunno. We got plenty of time to think about it."

Lilly kissed his hand. "Shall we go announce the pregnancy?"

"I was hopin' you'd say that," Arthur said, his white teeth flashing at her. "After that, we should go do that one thing. That Jim Calloway deal. I only need two more, if you're up for it."

"Oh yeah, we haven't had action like that in ages, it seems. And I'm very up for it now. That medicine you gave me is a miracle!"

They both stood up and walked out of the tent hand in hand. Dutch, Hosea and Sean were waiting for them. Arthur cleared his throat. "Dutch, Hosea, we'd like to make an announcement to everyone."

* * *

After the announcement was made, Lilly was surrounded by all the women in camp. They were all ecstatic about the baby. They all were talking about a million things all at once, especially Abigail. She finally had someone to talk to about what pregnancy was like and Lilly smiled, thankful she knew someone who had first hand knowledge of being with child. Arthur was given multiple cigars and the gang was going to hold a party in their honor but Arthur had plans for his wife that day. He approached her with a smile.

Let's go do somethin'," Arthur said.

"Like what?" Lilly asked.

"I haven't finished with all those gunslingers yet. I got two more. Flaco and Belle. You up for finishin' it with me?"

Lilly beamed. "God yes! Let's go!"

Arthur laughed. "Let's do Flaco first. He's way up in the Grizzlies."

Lilly decided to take Liath for the journey. She loved Doc but Liath was better suited for traveling through snow. They mounted up, Lilly whistled for the boys and they headed off north.

"Anythin' I should know about this Flaco guy?" Lilly asked.

"He's more than likely got a gang with him. At least ten, according to my information."

Arthur got the portrait from his bag and handed it to Lilly. "Yeah, what a terrible ogre he must be," Lilly mocked.

"Ha! You're funny."

"Thank you." She read the info on the back. "Wanted in eight states. My my. Deep in the mountains. An unlikely conversationalist. Wait, I thought you were supposed to interview these guys?"

"Well, the writer told me if any of them got "uppity", I was supposed to shoot 'em."

Lilly broke into a hysterical fit. "Uppity? Did he really say uppity?"

"He sure did."

"Hahahaaa, ahaaahaaaa, shit. That's funnier than hell."

"So, uh, the other one. Black Belle? She's kinda near Saint Denis, so if you don't want to-"

"Oh, of course the one I'm lookin' forward to is near my own personal hell? Shit!"

Arthur laughed. "Bluewater Marsh. Is that too close?"

Lilly sighed. "Well, I hopefully won't see Saint Denis in the distance from there, so no. Not too close."

Arthur grinned with a nod. "Okay. Onward to Flaco, then."

Lilly eyed him. "Thanks for takin' me out. I been wantin' to get back into action right away."

"Me too. As much as I loved Ireland, I missed our regular routine."

They talked more as they went along, but mostly they just had each other's company and enjoyed it. It wasn't long until they passed by Wallace Station when Arthur stopped his horse. "You gotta be kiddin' me," he said almost happily.

"What? Lilly stopped too. She saw a man in a green vest and gray pants with a camera. "Who is that?"

"That is Albert Mason. He's an amateur wildlife photographer. On my way to help get Sean back, I ran into him and had to chase a coyote for him."

"A coyote?" Lilly laughed.

"Coyote stole his bag."

Lilly laughed. "Wanna see what your buddy is up to?"

"Sure." They both trotted to the man and got off their horses. Arthur approached the photographer. "Hello again," Arthur blurted out.

The man backed up with a start. "Hello!" he yelped, holding a hand to his chest. "Oh hello! How are you, sir? Ah, Morgan. Mr. Morgan. I'm sorry, my...my nerves," he said, adjusting the lens on his perched camera. "I'm not quite the outdoor adventurer I thought. This is God's own country, and I feel I'm in purgatory."

"I know the feelin'," Arthur remarked.

"Oh, I hope not," Mr. Mason laughed breathlessly.

"Oh, trust me, sir. Purgatory ain't as bad as real hell," Lilly commented.

Albert peeked at the woman. "Ah, I don't believe I've had the pleasure, Miss...?"

"Mrs. Morgan."

"Oh, I'm Mr. Mason. Oh! Mr. Morgan, I didn't even know you were married."

"Yes, that's recent. And," Arthur put an arm around Lilly. "We just found out we're expectin'."

"Expecting?" The man stood straight up. "Expecting what?"

Arthur cackled. "She's pregnant, Mr. Mason."

"Oh! Sorry, I'm a buffoon! Congratulations!"

"Thank you. Hmm," Arthur took a step from Lilly to Albert. "Whatchu tryin' to take some pictures of?" Arthur asked. "Some more greedy coyotes?"

"No..." the man smiled, fiddling with his camera. "Wolves."

Arthur cackled. "Well shit, if you want wolves..."

Lilly giggled. "Brian! James! Here boys!"

The two giant pups came bounding up and looked up at Lilly. Mr. Mason yelped. "Oh my God! They're gigantic!"

Lilly cackled loudly. "Yes they are. Still growin' too, apparently."

Albert bent down at the knees. "You must be joking. Oh, no, you're not. They're clearly juveniles still. My goodness." Mason got back up. "Well, if they don't mind having their picture taken, there's some meat over in that-" Wolves howled nearby and Brian and James' fur raised up. "Uh oh."

A small pack came over the hill. Arthur and Lilly took out their revolvers while Lilly's pups got in a position to run and pounce. "Eeeeeasy, boys," Lilly said. "Easy."

The pack went sniffing around the tree with the meat hanging from a branch. Arthur and Lilly ducked down. "Well, you got your wild ones now, Mr. Mason," Arthur said quietly.

"Good boys, hungry boys, come on," Mr. Mason whispered. "Stay back, stay back," Mason waved to Arthur. "Can't have a man in the frame, they'd think it staged."

"It sorta is," Arthur said.

The flash of the camera startled some of the wolves. "Look at them...magnificent creatures," Mason whispered.

One of the wolves turned its attention on the group and made a low growl. The wolf pups snarled and Lilly hushed them, running her palms along their backs to calm them. "It's okay, boys, just stay calm," Lilly cooed.

"Yeah, magnificent, especially when they're clawin' at your eyeballs," Arthur said matter-of-factly. Lilly snorted and covered up her chuckling.

"Come on. Stay still, my beauties," Mason spoke in a soft tone.

Lilly noticed more wolves showing up. "Oh great. I think now would be a good time to get done with the photo shoot, Mr. Mason," Lilly urged sternly.

"Just one more picture. Come closer, you wonderful little beast."

Lilly rolled her eyes. This guy was either brave, insane, or stupid. Or all three. "Mason!" Arthur hissed.

The camera flashed again and the wild beasts became agitated, growling and snarling. James and Brian started but Lilly shushed them both.

"Oh my," Mason said, backing away. "They don't seem to be fans of modern technology."

Lilly decided right then and there. Mr. Mason was stupid. "On the other hand, looks like they may be fans of you!" Arthur barked.

The wolves got closer and Lilly sighed. "Go get 'em, boys!"

Brian and James went for the bulk of the pack while Lilly turned and shot a wolf in the face behind her. Arthur and Lilly circled around Mr. Mason opposite each other, shooting any wolves that got too close. "How's this for action, honey?" Arthur asked.

"Decent!" Lilly replied with a laugh, firing at another wolf. Brian and James tore through the pack like hot knives through butter and it didn't take long for the group of wolves to all be shot or ripped to pieces. "Well, that was quick work," Lilly said in a casual tone.

"Is that all of 'em? We might'a kept the wolves from the door," Arthur said, helping Mr. Mason up and brushing him off.

"My whole futile existence flashed before my eyes!" Mason said in a trembling voice.

"Yeah, they can be pretty aggressive."

Lilly chuckled and called her wolves over. "Good boys," she said, stroking their white fur.

"What a way to...literally a dog's dinner!" Mason gasped. Arthur picked up the flasher to examine it. "Still, worse things happen at sea."

"Do they?" Arthur chuckled as he handed the object back to Albert.

"Oh, I imagine. Perhaps wolves do better at sea. Are they good swimmers?"

"Mine are!" Lilly giggled.

"Haha! Well, Mr. Morgan, you have saved my poor, foolish skin once again! And you, Mrs. Morgan! Thank you! I can't begin to repay my debt of gratitude! But know, I am eternally in your debts."

"Don't mention it," Arthur said in a deep voice.

Lilly started skinning one of the wolves. The pelt wasn't too shot up but she was certain the meat was okay. And it was. "Sir, if you still want a shot of my wolves, by all means!"

"Right! Just...checking this equipment. If only my hands weren't shaking quite so much."

Lilly finished the skinning and slicing then called Liath over and put the pelt on his rump. "Deep breaths, Mr. Mason." She packaged the meat up, sniffed herself and almost gagged. Why did the scent of blood suddenly smell awful to her? "Oh good grief. Arthur, did you bring my dramamine?"

"Yes. You gonna vomit again?"

"Apparently blood is now on my list of bad smells."

Arthur cackled. "I can tell this kid's gonna be a troublemaker for you." Arthur walked to her and gave her a dose of the medicine. "There we go."

Lilly sighed with relief as the nausea went away. "That stuff is amazin, thank you." Lilly kissed Arthur and walked to the pups. "Alright, you boys ready for a pose?"

After a few shots with the wolves along with themselves, Lilly and Arthur thanked Mr. Mason and headed north once again. They stopped by a stream so Lilly could wash the blood off and the pups ran past her, splashing her white and black colored summer gunslinger outfit. Lilly laughed and splashed them back. She got up, walked to Arthur, grabbed him by his bandana and placed a smooch on him before they mounted up once more. When they got to the western base of Mount Hagen, they yanked out their winter coats and gloves. Lilly switched to her white fur winter boots. They traveled up further until they were in the mountains, not too far from Cairn Lake, which is where Flaco Hernandez was. Allegedly. At the top of a hill by Cairn Lake, they spotted a small lodge. Sure enough, there were men swarming the place.

"Hmm. This might be difficult," Lilly said.

"Difficult?" Arthur replied in a sly voice. "You think that's difficult?"

"Well, what if I smell blood and throw up?"

Arthur let out a soft chuckle. "You, Lillian, ain't gonna get stopped by that and you know it."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Your faith in me is so moving," she said sarcastically.

"If you wanna stay back, I can-"

"And make you deal with them on your own? Hell no. Besides, I ain't stayin' back here just so I can get fuckin' snatched up again. Nope, not happenin'."

"Fair enough."

Arthur and Lilly got off their horses. "Hey boys...go hide."

Brian and James ran off to the sides of the lake and Lilly followed her husband over to the lodge. "Hey! Who's that? You're in the wrong camp, strangers!" A man said, coming out from the trees in front of them.

"Huh. You don't wanna die for-"

Lilly put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I got this. Hello sir! How are ya doin'?"

The man aimed his gun at them both. "Away with you both! Now!"

Lilly sighed. "Now now, no need for all this trigger pullin' excitement. Ya wouldna shoot a lady now, would ya?" Lilly said with a smile. "My associate and I are only here to talk to your leader, Flaco Hernandez. Somethin' about a man writin' a book about famous gunslingers?" Lilly closed in on the man. "Just a chat is all we want."

The man wasn't biting. "Get out!"

Lilly sighed and looked at Arthur. "My chattin' skills are falterin' now, too. This kinda puts me out." Lilly turned back and quickly backhanded the man in the face. He went flying and smashed into a tree, getting knocked out. "Huh. At least my strength is still around."

Arthur laughed quietly and walked up to her. "Maybe your silver tongue is havin' an off day."

"Hey! Who are you?" another guard said. "What did you do to Jose?!"

"He got uppity!" Lilly snapped.

Shots were fired and Lilly and Arthur ducked behind objects for cover. Arthur laughed at her. "Uppity?!"

"Well, he did!" Lilly and Arthur shot at the men trying to flank them. Lilly whistled to her boys. "Brian! James! Kill!"

Snarls and growls were heard in the camp as well as screams and shouts and sounds of men dying. The couple only had a few more guys to shoot while the wolves took care of the rest. The Morgans stood up and went walking to the camp to loot. Arthur handed the wolves some raw meat and they chewed on it happily as Arthur and Lilly took money and other items off their victims.

"Men? Talk to me!" A man yelled from inside the shack.

"Oh boy. I reckon that is Hernandez. He don't sound too happy," Arthur said.

"Oh, just shoot him if he gets uppity."

Arthur and Lilly cackled at the joke. "Alright. I'll deal with him. You loot the bodies." Arthur went walking and Lilly went around camp looting the dead men. She heard Arthur yapping away.

"Flaco Hernandez. You in there?" Arthur shouted. "I didn't want trouble, but...I'm just here to speak with you. About Boy Calloway? I'm unarmed."

Lilly chuckled to herself. "Yes, sure."

The door creaked open and Lilly looked over. Yep. That wad definitely Flaco. Lilly could hear him muttering Spanish as he wiped slop off his lip. Ugh.

"I just wanna talk," Arthur said. About Boy Calloway."

"Sure. Here's your message!"

Lilly sighed and moved out of the line of fire. "Here we go." One shot rang out and of course, her husband won the duel. "Good shot, mo chuisle!"

Arthur tipped his hat to her and took a picture of Flaco's body. They left on their horses and made south.


	30. Black Belle

_Snow. Mountains. A town with red dirt. A white horse in the snow by a lake. Two gray wolf pups jumping from an oak tree. Fire. Sean's dead body on a red dirt road. A ship sinking in the sea during a storm. A bank in Saint Denis. An island. A treasure map in Flaco's cabin. A woman, the spitting image of Lilly, holding the real Lilly down._

_"Let me out," the woman says. "Release me."_

Lilly woke up with a start. She looked at Arthur and shook him. "Arthur! Arthur wake up!"

"Mmm?" Arthur opened his eyes slowly and rubbed them. "What is it?" he groaned.

"I had a dream about Flaco's cabin. There was a treasure map in it. And there was a white horse by Lake Isabella, I think. We gotta go back and get 'em!"

Arthur rolled over so his back was to her. "The only thing I'm goin' back to is sleep, you crazy ass woman."

Lilly chuckled and kissed his cheek. "Fine. I'll go take a look myself."

"Uh huh. You do that." Lilly stayed until Arthur fell back asleep and she left their small tent that was out in the wilderness of the grizzlies.

* * *

Arthur opened his eyes slowly with a groan. Lilly wasn't there. Huh. Where'd she run off to? Then he remembered. "Shit!" Arthur shot up and crawled out of the tent. It was morning. He saw Liath and a fire but no Lilly. "Lilly!" he called out. "Lilleh!"

"Would ya calm the feck down? Yer gonna scare yer new horse."

He turned in the direction of her voice and his jaw dropped. Lilly was brushing a white Arabian female horse. "How? How did you-"

"I told ya, mo chuisle. I dreamed it. Oh," Lilly said, reaching into her sidebag. She pulled out a rolled up paper and shook it at him. "Found the treasure map, too."

Arthur stomped over and grabbed it from her hand. "You should'a waited for me to wake up, Lillian." He opened the map and sighed. Yep. It was a treasure map. "You shouldn't be goin' out alone."

"Yer concern fer me well bein' moves me, darlin', but I'm perfectly capable of handlin' meself!" Lilly snapped, patting the horse and walking over to the fire. "I bring breakfast, a map, and a horse fer ya and ya don't show the slightest ounce of gratitude?"

"I am grateful but god dammit, Lillian," Arthur said as he marched over to her. "You can't go out by yourself!"

"You can't go out by yourself," Lilly mocked in his voice. "I tried wakin' ya, fer fuck's sake!" Lilly pulled out a piece of meat and began to cook it. "And ain't ya the least bit curious as tah why I dreamed up things that were real? Do ya even care what I dreamt about?"

Arthur frowned. "I do, but you can't go-"

Lilly shoved the cooked meat on a plate and put it in Arthur's hands angrily. "Ya know what? I died. I admit it! But what are the chances I'm gonna get flogged and poisoned again? Joseph bloody Pierce and Brutus are in an Irish prison fer what they did tah me!"

"Yeah but we still don't know why they did it. We still don't know if they were workin' alone. And you're carryin' my child!"

Lilly threw up her hands. "Oh, so now I'm supposed tah be coddled again? Like I was when I was lost fer three days? What about you, ya feckin' arse? You have a better chance of dyin' out there alone than I do!"

Arthur laughed bitterly. "Why's that?"

Lilly looked around for something. Arthur watched as she stormed over to a tree and punched it. It made a hole in the trunk and she growled. "Because I can do that and you can't. Because I killed two god damn bears and you haven't. Because I'm..." Lilly turned and glared at him. "Because I'm some sort of super human freak and you're not!"

Arthur frowned again and went over to her, putting a hand on Lilly's arm. "You ain't a freak. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm coddlin' you, and maybe I am, but Lilly...you ain't invincible. And you have to consider the baby. If somethin' happens to you, the baby might..." Arthur stopped talking and swallowed hard. "I can't lose either one of you. Okay?"

Lilly sighed and nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. I guess I just got excited and...wanted to bring you stuff."

Arthur smiled softly and kissed her. "Thank you for the gifts." He started eating his breakfast and grinned. "Mmm. Now, what do you think I should name my new horse?"

Lilly shrugged. "Your call."

Arthur squinted one eye. Dutch had a white Arabian, too. "Ah. I know. The Countess," he said with a playful smile.

Lilly laughed. "Are ya serious?"

The corners of Arthur's mouth stretched down and he nodded. "Why not? It fits, don't it?"

"Yeah, kinda. We don't got counts in Ireland. In England, sure, but-"

"Then what's the problem? Hey, you know what? We could breed 'em. Have little Arabian foals runnin' around Darach ar an gCnoc."

Lilly smiled. "That's not a bad idea. It would bring in a good income." Lilly went over to the Arabian and stroked her neck. "So now ya got two horses named after me? I should get another one and name him Arthur...or Earl."

Arthur guffawed loudly. "Who said I was namin' her after you?" He walked over and let the horse take his scent in. "How's about a nickname then? How about Tessa?"

"That's a good one."

Arthur gave Tessa an apple and she ate with a cheerful neigh. "So, where are the boys?"

"Huntin', I suppose. Are ya just makin' small talk or do you have somethin' on your mind?"

"I do, actually. Your oak tree. What happened? We never got into that discussion."

Lilly took a short breath, huffing through her nose. Her mouth scrunched up to one side as she eyed Arthur. "Honestly? Not a god damn clue. There's so much about my childhood there that I don't remember. It's almost like my memories are locked in chests and I don't have any of the keys." Lilly frowned. "I wish I had more answers to..all the weird shit that's been happenin' to me lately. Me comin' back to life, me super strength, me new talents and the old ones bein' out of whack, that tree, and now me dream was...well, prophetic. I'm pretty sure all of ya are scared of me. Ya pretend not to be, but I know fear when I see it."

"Not really. Well, maybe a little. I mean, who comes back from the dead?" Arthur laughed. "I don't know about the others, but I ain't scared of you. I'm scared _for_ you."

Lilly put a palm to his cheek and Arthur kissed it lovingly while breathing in her scent of apples. "I'm scared of myself. What other powers are goin' to turn up? I really am frightened, Arthur." Lilly's eyes began to fill with tears. "What if I accidentally hurt any of you or the baby? I mean, during my night terrors, did I ever hurt anyone?"

Arthur kissed her palm again and looked into her eyes. "No." Arthur embraced her and kissed her temple. Arthur knew she felt horrible and guilty about all of this. He wasn't just scared for her because of her newfound abilities, but for her state of mind. He knew the pregnancy was going to wreak havoc on her emotions as it did Abigail and Eliza. What really stung is he had no clue how to help her with any of it. Maybe Patrick could shed some light on it, so Arthur decided he should write to him and see what he knew. All of this felt so heavy on his shoulders, yet it wasn't even his shoulders it was all on. It was hers, but he was happy to carry the burden with her. "We're in this together, Lillian. We're goin' to figure all this out. I don't know how, but we will." He kissed her softly, then he kissed her tear-stained cheeks, then her eyes. "I promise."

* * *

When they reached the swamps of Leymoyne and passed over a bridge on the Kamassa River, the sun was setting in the west. Lilly felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. They were being watched. The Night Folk. She remembered them all too well, but at least Brian and James were with them and they were more than alert; they were on edge.

"What's wrong with them?" Arthur asked.

"The Night Folk. They're out here," she said.

"The Night Folk?"

"Nasty buggers. People who come in the night to rob and pillage, then brutally murder their captured victims, but they ain't even people. They don't even talk."

"Should we head back away from the swamps for the night?"

"Nah. We're fine. We got Brian and James with us. Just watch out for traps. They like to lure people in with...other people."

Lilly wished they would turn back. She hated this place. She loathed being this close to Saint Denis, her own personal version of Hell on Earth, but she wanted to meet this 'Black Belle' woman. It wasn't every day she met a fellow female gunslinger. She trailed alongside Arthur who was now on Tessa. They'd stopped at one point to stable Rose and give her a break from all the long distance rising. Liath, however, seemed no worse for wear. Lilly reckoned he liked it. Just then they saw a rider up ahead and he fell off his horse.

Lilly stopped. "Boys, go check that out." Brian and James went sniffing about while the now unburdened horse walked on by. Lilly pulled out her revolver and looked around. When the boys came back to her, she slowly got off her horse. "Arthur, you see any movement, you get out and I'll catch up, okay?"

"Lillian."

Lilly sighed and looked st him. "I've had plenty of run ins with these sick bastards. You have not. Just trust me on this please. You don't want to get surrounded by a bunch of Night Folk, especially with Tessa. You know how skittish Arabians are."

Arthur sighed and pulled out his rifle. "Just be careful, darlin'," and he kept a look out. Lilly went over to the man and checked him. "Hmm. Dead by bullet. We're good for now."

"How do you know it ain't a trap?"

"Night Folk don't use guns. Just bows and knives."

Arthur chuckled. "Is that how you got so good with bows and knives?"

Lilly smiled as she walked back to Liath. "Nope. I was always good with bows and knives."

Lilly mounted up and they went on the move again. It was then that Saint Denis was off in the distance. Just barely, but Lilly could see the smoke stacks of the factories and she became apprehensive. She ignored the city and focused on the task at hand. They went over another bridge and Lilly saw a house on the south side. They got to the makeshift bridge and started walking up to the house. As Arthur went up the stairs, the door opened slightly.

"You there," a woman said, a shotgun in her hand. This had to be Belle.

"Woa." Arthur and Lilly stopped and put their hands up. "Hello?" Arthur said.

"You a bounty hunter?" the woman asked.

"Not right now, I ain't. You Black Belle? I'd like to talk to you about your Wild West days."

"Tch. I don't care much for reminiscin'." The door opened and Lilly grinned. Yes. This was the lady in the photo. "You got any friends as bounty hunters?" Belle asked as she slowly walked through the door, the gun still pointed at them both.

"None that spring to mind," Arthur muttered.

"Well then you done led them boys here and you none the wiser."

Lilly scowled at Brian and James. "Sure, let's be in alert for Night Folk but don't feckin' warn me about anyone else followin' us, ya damn blockheads!" Lilly said with a laugh.

Arthur turned at the waist. "Ah, those bounty hunters."

"Knew my luck'd would run out sooner or sooner," Belle said.

"Well get inside. I'll tell 'em you're gone," Arthur said, trying to approach the lady.

Lilly shook her head. Men are so trusting and stupid. "Don't do that, Arthur..."

Belle inched forward with her gun. "Oh ho, no no. I ain't hidin' from those scalp hunters. Not runnin' from them, neither. And fightin'? Well, if it's just me against them, that'd be a waste of time and nitro-glycerine."

Lilly chuckled. Belle was a kindred spirit indeed. "Well, let me know what I can do," Arthur said with a helpful tone.

"You want that Wild West story, don'tcha?"

"Yes I do."

"Alright. Both of you get up here quick." Lilly sent the boys off to check the perimeter as she and Arthur went on the porch. "Now when I give you the word, boy, hit that," Belle said as she pointed at a lever. "Whole place is wired." Belle winked at him.

"Black Belle!" one of the bounty men said. "I got a contract here for your life or your liberty." The hunter started walking on the bridge while holding up a bounty poster. "And we'd sooner it be liberty.

"That's mighty reasonable of you, mister! C'mere, let me take a look at it!"

The hunter started walking again and Lilly had to supress a laugh. "What a load of eejits," she whispered. "Were the bounty hunters just as stupid in your day?"

"No. They were worse," she whispered back. "Come on!" she yelled. "Oh, come on!" When the men got to a certain point, Belle shouted again, her gun still raised. "Stop just there! Now," she looked at Arthur. "Set it off!"

Arthur pulled the lever and an explosion knocked the hunter into oblivion. Lilly backed up and giggled. "Holy shit!" The shooting began immediately and Lilly whistled for Brian and James. "Go get 'em, boys!"

Lilly watched as the boys came back around for the slaughter. Lilly pulled out her repeater and started shooting. "I hope you can shoot!" Belle shouted.

"We can!" Arthur shouted back, shooting a man down with his rifle.

"They're tryin' to flank us!"

Lilly went to the side and began shooting. Belle and Arthur did as well. "Lady, I can't see you much in need of my help!" Arthur said.

"Sugar, that's sweet! You're lucky I'm all married out!"

"And yer lucky I like ya, Miss Belle, because ya just hit on me husband!" Lilly said with a laugh.

Arthur cackled as he pressed another detonator and more hunters went flying. "Yep, my wife don't need much help neither!"

Lilly ran back to the front and pulled a plunger. Four men were blown up. "Wow!" Lilly laughed. "No wonder you like dynamite!"

"Ha! It ain't over yet, sister! I guess all their friends heard the hubbub!" Lilly went back to the side. She jumped over the porch, took out her bow and started milling the hunters down with four arrows in her bow, letting them go one at a time. Brian and James came running back around and took care of the stragglers. One guy tried to tackle Lilly from behind but she turned and side swept him with her arm. He went into the air and crashed into some boxes. "Well, I seen a lot of things, kid, but I ain't never seen that!" Belle yelled.

Lilly laughed as she put her bow away. Another hunter popped out and she hit him in the neck with a throwing knife. "I got a set of rare skills, Miss Belle."

"Whew!" Belle shouted. "Is that the last of 'em?"

"Yeah...you got them scalp hunters off your back," Arthur replied.

"For now."

"For now," Arthur repeated.

Belle went back inside and Lilly kissed her husband. "This was a nice day out. Thank you."

"Ha! You're welcome, darlin'." Belle came back out. "You gonna tell us about your Wild West days? Runnin' with Jim "Boy" Calloway?"

"Little Boy Calloway?" Belle asked as disbelief hit her face. "Heh heh heh, the only runnin' he did was away from a fight." Arthur lit a cigarette. "And that's about the end of it." Belle went back inside.

"Well, the man's apparently a famous gunslinger."

"Yeah, so they say. But uh, don't get what's famous confused with what's true," Belle said, packing things up in a sack. "The ones of us who lived that life, we was too busy bein' scared for our scalp to talk to no newspaper writers," Belle carried on with a sack over her shoulder and reached for her gun. "Or dime novel men." She walked off the porch and the couple followed with the boys.

"Well, what were they like then? Those days they all talk about?" Arthur asked

"Same as now, I guess. Only longer ago," Belle paused, emphasizing the exhaustion in which she said the last sentence.

"Alright. I'm gonna need your picture true, if it ain't a trouble."

"No sir. No trouble at all."

Lilly looked around for Liath and Tessa while Arthur went and took the woman's picture. She whistled for them and they both came running. She sat on the ground and looked up at the stars. As interested as she was in Belle, Lilly heard enough, she supposed. Belle was a rare woman like she was but Lilly had a feeling the lady wasn't the sentimental type. She heard hooves clopping away and Arthur sat down beside her. "You okay?"

"Yes, I think so. I might be havin' an existential crisis, though."

Arthur laughed. "What do you mean?"

Lilly frowned a little as she stared at the stars. "Well, I've struggled through life tryin' to figure out where I really fit in. As an outlaw, sure I fit, but I'm a woman. Couldn't really have heart to hearts with women and the kind I had with you and Da and Athair were moreso about male troubles. So if we have a girl, what kind of mother will I be if I can't teach her how to be a proper woman?"

Arthur turned her face to look at him. "You'll be a great mother. We'll have the other women in the gang to help, you know that."

"...What if she's like me?"

"Then she'll be perfect." Arthur placed his hand on her tummy. "Just like her mother."

* * *

Arthur and Lilly slept for a few hours at Belle's house and left just after midnight. When they got back to Clemens Point, it was first light and only Pearson was awake cooking breakfast. When he saw the happy couple walking into camp he waved a knife at them.

"Ah, I was just makin' breakfast. I got just the thing for an expectant mother!"

"Please tell me ya got more pickles!" Pearson laughed and handed her a whole jar. Lilly giggled, thanked him, and grabbed the jar...a little too hard. The whole thing broke and vinegar and pickles and glass went everywhere. Pearson let out a mighty guffaw, Arthur burst into a hysterical fit, and Lilly's face went red from embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Pearson! I didna mean tah-"

Pearson started cleaning up the mess. "It's alright, Lilly. You just don't know your own strength. Bet you could beat anybody in an arm wrestling contest."

Lilly snickered and helped clean up along with the two men. Once done, Lilly began to gobble the pickles up like a pig eating slop. "Why the hell do pregnant women crave pickles? I mean, they're so good but," Lilly swallowed then crunched into another pickle. "Why pickles?"

"Maybe it's the salt?" Pearson hypothesized.

Lilly crunched some more. "Mmmmm. Perhaps. I do have, mmm," Lilly reached into her bag and pulled out some salted meat. She took a bite from that and her taste buds exploded with sublime satisfaction. "MMMM! Oh yeah. It's definitely the salt."

Arthur laughed and grabbed a pickle from the new jar Pearson placed out. "I'd say we should re-vinegar the pickles but I have a feelin' they'll all be gone before the day's out," Arthur said.

Lilly giggled and grabbed a few more pickles. "I think he's gotta worry about the salted meat now."

"Hey you two."

Lilly turned around and saw Dutch approach as she chowed into another pickle. "Mmm! Hi Da!"

Dutch laughed. "Happily stuffin' your face, I see. You guys wanna go fishin'?"

Lilly rolled her eyes, then a devious smile formed on her lips. "Ya know what? Yes!"

Arthur grabbed her hand and they both caught up with Dutch. "Hey!" Dutch yelled at Hosea who was tending to Silver Dollar. "Old girl, come on down here, why don't you show us this 'crick' you been pissin' in?" They got closer and Dutch sighed. "Hey, you don't look too rosy, old friend. I thought this warmer weather would-"

"My days of looking good are long over, Dutch," Hosea said.

Dutch climbed onto The Count and laughed. "Always dream crushin' and bubble burstin', you. Come on, Hosea, let's go fishin'!"

Hosea got onto Silver Dollar. "Come on, then."

Lilly climbed onto her horse Doc, and Arthur got onto Tessa. Dutch had been very receptive to the Count and the Countess' future foals idea, but so far the two hadn't really met yet. "Hey, where's Brian and James?" asked Arthur.

"Hell if I know. It's not like I keep those boys on a leash, as if I could," Lilly replied.

Arthur chuckled as they trailed behind Hosea and Dutch. "You're right, I'm sorry. I just worry when they ain't here."

"You worry too much, mo chuisle." Still, Lilly whistled for her pups and they came bounding out of the forest towards her. "See? They're fine." Lilly continued snacking on her pickles and salted meat. "God, these are so good!"

Arthur coughed. "Why don't we fish here? There's a whole lake of 'em."

"Because I need to get out for a bit," Dutch replied. "Me and the old guard. Before any of them back there, there was us!"

"The curious couple, their unruly son, and their wild Irish daughter," Hosea commented.

"It feels good here! Charles did well findin' that spot! It's like I can breathe again. Thick and soupy as this air is. Might even do your whistlin' pipes some good, Hosea."

"I was once in this country with Bessie," Hosea reminisced. "Oh, it feels like a lifetime ago."

"It was a lifetime ago. But what a life we have lived...how well we have fought. Especially the three of you."

"I hope so," Arthur spoke.

"But now, when things are desperate, we have to stick to the plan," Dutch said. "Make enough money, then go to Ireland, where we don't have to hide. I got some ideas hatchin' but I need you with me, not against me. All of you."

"'Course," Arthur interjected.

"Yes, Da!" Lilly replied.

"Still, we do need money. So keep a low profile, especially in the local town. After Horseshoe Overlook, I want everyone on their best behavior here, no trouble," Dutch scolded. "But start turnin' over the soil and the rocks, see what turns up."

"Dutch, we have gotta be discreet," Hosea interrupted.

"Imagine what a slew of rich simpletons there must be down here. Oh ho ho, this is perfect for you, Hosea. You'll be able to play them like a fiddle."

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure, but-"

"No buts...not today. We fish and we enjoy the day." They crossed a bridge to see some men up the road with a prison carriage. They were stopped by a train. "Looks like law up ahead. Play it cool."

The gang members and the wolves pulled up to the carriage and Lilly noticed that Josiah Trelawny was in the back, along with four nameless men. Her mouth dropped.

"Hello, gentlemen, and my lady," Josiah whispered.

Dutch chuckled. "Well, look what the cat drug in!"

"I seem to have gotten myself in a spot of bother."

"Quiet back there!" one of the lawmen yelled.

"Let's see if we can't sort this out," Dutch said smoothly. He trotted up beside the officers and started talking.

Lilly inched closer to Arthur. "Bet you five dollars he got caught sleepin' with someone's wife."

Arthur chuckled. "I say he was runnin' a scam. You're on." Lilly and Arthur overheard the sheriff say something about a gold mining investment scam, and Arthur cackled quietly. "Told ya. Pay up." The train whistled and began to move along.

"Shit," Lilly said before reaching into her satchel and paying Arthur the bet. She glanced at one of the men trying to pick the lock. "Think we should stop 'em?" she asked discreetly.

Arthur shook his head and whispered into her ear. "Nah, let's see how this plays out, darlin'."

Brian and James started growling at the prisoners and Lilly snapped her fingers at them. "Quiet, boys," she hissed at them.

Lilly and Arthur pretended not to notice as they opened the lock and started sneaking out. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, I..." Trelawny stammered.

"Shit! The Anderson boys! I can't have more scandal!" the sheriff yelled as the prisoners got onto the back of the train.

"Well allow us to help, my friend. Arthur!"

"Chase wanted men?" Arthur asked as he went to the tracks.

"A-And...and take Archibald with ya!" Lilly snickered as Arthur pulled the other deputy onto the back of Tessa. "Perhaps we can discuss the foolish magician?" Dutch continued to the sheriff.

Lilly went to follow but Hosea stopped her. "Now now, you stay with us. Arthur's got it covered, dear. You're expectin'. You gotta be careful."

Lilly pouted, eating the last of her pickles. "You're gonna leave me out of all the fun?"

"Not all of it. Just stuff like that. I think it's time I really taught you the tool of my trade."

"Your silver tongue?"

"Yes. You have your own, but this old dog still has much to teach you."

Lilly stuck her tongue out and giggled.


	31. The Fishing Trip

Lilly sat next to Hosea on the steps of the Sheriff's office. She'd noticed coming into town the color of the road and it sent a chill down her spine. She really hoped what she saw about Sean wasn't an actual prophecy. She'd sent Brian and James out for hunting shortly after Arthur left to chase down the criminals. She chomped on more salted meat and pickles she got at the local store. She even picked up a couple glass bottles of cola to drink, and as an afterthought, a journal to write down the 'images' she got while dreaming. The cola was heaven mixed with sugar as she took a drink, groaning happily. Hosea laughed at her. "Be careful, Lilly."

"Oh I know. Moderation. I'm only drinkin' the one; the other is for Arthur."

Hosea laughed again. "You know, you should try other foods to deal with your cravings."

"Cravings?" Trelawny asked from the back of the prison wagon. "Lillian, do I detect the heavenly glow of a mother to be?"

Lilly looked over at him with a smile. "Yep. Arthur and I are expectin'."

"My! Congratulations. But weren't you-"

"Yes, but not anymore!" Lilly giggled.

"Lilly, you ever wonder if Brian and James know what you're actually sayin'?"

"I know they know what I'm sayin'." Lilly chortled lightly. "I mean, you seen 'em. They listen very well for wolves."

"That they do. And the size of 'em...they're past legendary for sure."

"Ya should'a seen people at the ball Sir Patrick held. They were horrified!" Hosea and Lilly laughed loudly, then looked over to the road and saw Arthur and the deputy. "There's our own personal criminal hunter back from the chase."

"Ok good, they're back," Lilly heard Archibald say. "And that's your friend, right? And your wife?"

"Yeah," Arthur said.

"How was the chase, my darlin' husband?" she snickered.

Arthur gave her a quick smile. "It was fine."

"Can you grab Anderson off your horse and carry him in for me?" Archibald asked. Arthur did as he was told and grabbed the limp body of a man off his horse then dumped him in front of the steps. "Mr Gray! We got him!"

Lilly heard the door slam open and she jumped a little. "Very good," the Sheriff said.

Dutch followed behind him. "I told you Arthur would deliver. Man has a passion for justice."

"That's wonderful," the Sheriff said.

Lilly approached Arthur and kissed his cheek. "My husband, the dashin' outlaw chaser."

Arthur chortled at her. "You smell like pickles."

Lilly handed drink she bought. "Cola?"

"Yes, thank you." He popped the top off and drank some. "Mmm, that's good."

Lilly took a bite from her snack. "God, I love salt. Possibly more than I love you."

Arthur cackled. "You are full of shit."

"No, I'm full of babeh."

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "Yes. Tell me, how many 'babehs' do you think we'll have in our life together?"

"Le minicíocht ár gnéis? Fiche ar a laghad," she whispered. _[_ _With the frequency of our sex? At least twenty.]_

"Oof. Is breá liom é nuair a labhraíonn tú Gaeilge," Arthur responded. "Cé mhéad atá grá agat don ghnéas?" _[_ _I love it when you speak Irish. How much do you love the sex?]_

"B'fhéidir gur cheart dúinn an turas iascaireachta a scipeáil? Taispeánfaidh mé duit cé mhéad is breá liom do choileach taobh istigh de theach mo chearc," Lilly said in a suggestive voice. "I could really use it. We haven't in some time now, but now I feel better these days." _[_ _Maybe we should skip the fishing trip? I will show you how much I love your rooster inside my hen house.]_

Arthur chortled and stroked her cheek. "Maybe we should do that."

"Come along now," Dutch said. "I will keep this fellow on the straight and narrow."

"Well, come back and see us sometime soon," the Sheriff said. "Excuse me, gentlemen. My lady," he turned and walked towards the office. Now Beau, these better be ugly rumors," he said to the young man on the porch. "Is it true you were seen talkin' to that wretched Penelope Braithwaite?"

Trelawny pointed at Arthur and Dutch. "I can't thank you enough."

"Where have you been?" Dutch asked lightly, the group wandering down the road as Trelawny and Dutch chatted away.

"Around."

"And where you stayin'?"

"I'm renting. A caravan at the edge of town behind the church. It's horrible but no one comes looking. The whole town is trapped in this interminable feud between the two families. His lot, Grays, and Braithwaites."

"Interestin'."

"Two old plantation houses and falling out over rebel gold and marrying cousins and not marrying, that sort of thing."

"Arthur, Hosea, you start pokin' around. See what you can find out about that."

"Wait, what about me?" Lilly asked. "Don't tell me I'm hangin' back from this too!"

Dutch laughed. "Oh, 'course not! You're gonna follow Hosea's lead on it. Remember, you're expectin'. Can't have you gettin' shot up, can we?"

Lilly got what he was saying but shooting and killing were two of her best attributes. "I know, but..."

Dutch stopped and put a hand on her shoulder. "Lilly, I know you and Arthur went out shootin' people yesterday, and that's fine, but we just want what's best for you and the baby."

Lilly scowled. "Ya think I don't know what's best fer me or the baby?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that...this is all very new to you. You never had time to consider any of this," Dutch said knowingly.

Lilly's lips parted. Did he know? Lilly looked at Hosea, who gave her a sad look, and her eyes lowered to the ground. So they both knew. "No, I never did. But-"

"Lilly, you are so much more than a killer and you know this."

Lilly quirked her pinched lips and nodded in agreement. "Alright, Da."

"Good. Now, Trelawny, what else ya got?" They all resumed walking.

"I have missed you boys...and my lady. I've heard about bounties," Trelawny said with a touch of humor.

"There's been a bounty on my head for thirteen years. It'll take 'em months to find us down here. And it seems like we can have a little sport."

"Well they're good bounties. Especially Mrs. Morgan's, here. I heard it's been raised to one hundred fifty thousand now."

They all stopped and Lilly got a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph."

"Where you hear this?" Hosea asked glumly. They resumed walking.

"Some fellas I met at a camp near the state line said there was talk of it in bars in the north and west for five hundred miles, but that's for all of your bounties, not just hers. There was talk of super agents, or some such."

"Super agents, haha! I'd love to meet one," Dutch said. "It's just talk."

Lilly gulped. She was never going to be safe from that man. "They'll come after all of us for me and you know it. That Agent Milton followed me to Ireland. Offered to leave you and the gang alone if I went willingly."

"Are you kiddin' me?" Dutch said angrily. "Well, that sure as shit ain't happenin', Lilly. Only way they're takin' you is over our dead bodies. Well, maybe not Trelawny here, but-"

Trelawny laughed. "I wouldn't dream of turning you in, my dear, but I couldn't not tell you."

"Stay outta trouble," Dutch said to Trelawny as the British man walked up the hill.

He turned around. "Thank you, gentlmen, and my lady." Trelawny gave a fancy bow before heading to the caravan with a rather sprightly gait. The rest of the group headed back down the hill.

"Okay, so, these two plantation families," Dutch continued. "Arthur, you start sniffin' around the Gray's place, see what the story is there."

"Yeah, I passed by it earlier with our friend Archibald," Arthur said.

"Good. Hosea, Lilly, you see what you can find out about these Braithwaites."

"Alright," Hosea said. "Thank you, Arthur."

"Quite a fishin' trip," Arthur said with a sarcastic tone.

"There's still time," Dutch remarked. "I'm up for it."

How 'bout you two lovebirds?" Hosea asked. "Or would you rather practice makin' more "babehs"?"

Lilly giggled hysterically as she blushed. "Athair! Were you listenin' to our conversation?!"

"Yes, but I still don't speak Irish. It was the tone I was listenin' to."

Lilly's mouth dropped. "You dog."

Hosea, Dutch and Arthur laughed. "Let's go fishin'."

* * *

_Dutch and Hosea were directed into the hallway just outside Lilly's door. The doctor faced both the men and sighed. "Sirs, I'm sorry, but I didn't drag you away about the bill. It's about your daughter."_

_Dutch's face went pale and his breath caught. "Is she goin' to be okay?"_

_"She's fine, I assure you. But...there's something I think you both need to know."_

_Dutch put his hands on his hips. "What is it?"_

_"Your daughter. She's barren."_

_Dutch and Hosea looked at each other then back at the doctor. "What?" they both said._

_"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid the damage she had to her womb is irreparable."_

_Dutch rubbed his face. "The fall did this or the stick?"_

_Hosea's mouth gaped. "Dutch, I think calling it a stick is an understatement."_

_"Well it's not a branch!" Dutch snapped. "I can't...Jesus Christ!" Dutch walked down the hallway a few steps, then stopped._

_"I truly am sorry, gentlemen. As for the bill, I'm going to waive it."_

_Hosea looked at him. "Why?"_

_"I do that from time to time for special cases and Lilly's is most certainly special. Just don't go telling anyone I do that, heh heh."_

_"We won't. Thank you, doctor._ _" Hosea went and put hands on Dutch's shoulders. "Should we tell the gang?"_

_"Yes, I think they should know. Especially Arthur. I mean, you saw what they were doin'. Should we assume it's a relationship?" Dutch asked, choking back tears._

_"No, I think it's just her flirtin' game. But I gotta say, I never heard any of the boys talk about her, uh, declothing for them. I think that's only for Arthur."_

_"You think so?"_

_Hosea laughed. "You know damn well those two were made for each other. We both knew from day one. It's only a matter of time before they both see that."_

_"You're right." Dutch looked down towards the common area. "We better go inform everyone."_

_"Yes." Both the men walked down the hall with heavy hearts, their slow steps showing just how they felt._

* * *

"So, you're goin' back to see that Sheriff Gray?" Arthur asked as the group trotted along the road.

"Yeah, I don't see why not. They don't know who we are down here," Dutch replied.

"He didn't seem the sharpest of tacks. Neither did that deputy."

"If he thinks we can be useful to him, he can certainly be useful to us. A little hidin' in plain sight."

"I feel like we're always hidin' in plain sight," Arthur said with a grumble in his throat.

"But sometimes more smartly than others."

"This is the spot, down here to the left here," Hosea said.

Arthur and the rest trailed down to the lake. "Arthur, I need to tell you somethin'," Lilly said. "Privately."

"Okay. Hey Dutch, Hosea, we'll be there in a minute."

"Okay," yelled Dutch as the couple hung back.

"What's goin' on?" Arthur asked with concern in his voice. Lilly giggled, got off her horse and yanked Arthur off his. "Woa, what are yo-"

Lilly kissed him hard and Arthur wrapped his arms around her. Lilly grabbed his head and snogged him for a few moments before pulling away. "Sorry, but I needed that. "

Arthur chuckled deeply. "Did you, now? Well give me more."

They resumed the heavy kissing. "I don't know what's, mmm, come over me..."

"Might be your, mmmhmmhmmhmm, emotions causin'...a...ruckus."

"Yeah, that's gotta be it," Lilly breathed. "Mmmm."

"We gotta go fishin'," Arthur said with a chuckle.

"But I need ya," Lilly said with a pout. "We havena done anythin' for weeks because I been sick."

"And I need you, but let's go fishin' first, then you can have me all to yourself, okay? And we'll give you dramamine before we uh, engage ourselves."

Lilly nodded, biting her lip with a grin. "Okay. Hehe, the way I will have with you afterwards, Mr. Morgan."

A low, raspy chuckle erupted from Arthur's throat as he put his arm around her. They led the horses down to the lake where Dutch and Hosea were.

"Well, you two look happy," Dutch said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Well, we are," Lilly remarked as Arthur grabbed his pole. "We're newlyweds and we're gonna have a kid. What's not to be happy about?"

"Okay. Come on Arthur, let's get her in the water."

Lilly laughed and walked to the boat. "Why over exert yourselves, boys?" Lilly pushed the boat around and into the water with ease, then held on. "Alright, get in."

Hosea laughed. "I take it you want to row, too?"

"I could, but I think I'll let one of you do that. Wouldn't want ya to look like sissies out on the lake."

"Sure thing, Princess. Your chariot awaits," Hosea said, grinning lightly with an arched brow.

They all laughed and got into the boat. Arthur offered to row. "You boys are too old for real labor no more."

"And you're too dumb for anything else," Hosea replied.

"Athair..." Lilly warned playfully.

Arthur wheezed and cackled as he got ready to row. "You're still too quick for me, old man."

"I enjoy pickin' on children. Now take us to the deeper water. Pray for good luck and stupid fish."

"What about stupid luck and good fish?"

"That'll do too."

Arthur started rowing. Lilly looked out on the lake and smiled. "Well boys, it ain't Horseshoe Overlook but it's still beautiful out here."

"Not like Ireland, though?"

"No. I can't wait for you and Da to see it!" Lilly said excitedly.

"You should'a seen Jack's face when we showed him the photos you guys sent. He got so excited!"

"That makes me happy. And you, Da? Athair? You're sure you'd prefer that over a million dollars?'

"Of course! Your plan is a much better plan! Now we just need the money to get there," Dutch explained happily.

"I think here's good," Hosea said. Arthur stopped rowing.

"Alright. Good luck gentlemen, and lady."

"Should really come here at dawn or dusk. That's when you catch the best fish." Lilly huffed and stood, removing her gun belt, hat, satchel, and boots. "Lilly, what are you doing?"

She rolled up her jeans and smiled. "Fishin'. This is how I fish." Lilly jumped in and went swimming.

Arthur laughed. "That's kinda how she fishes now, I guess. When we took Jack fishin', she caught a big sucker with her bare hands...and then the wolves stole it."

Dutch and Hosea laughed, getting their poles out. All three on lake lures and cast out. "This isn't a river, though. How is she gonna-"

A sturgeon flopped into the boat and Lilly came up with a smile. "I caught one."

Dutch and Hosea's mouths went agape but Arthur cackled. "That's my girl," he said.

* * *

They all reached camp and Arthur was true to his word. Lilly had him all to herself. As soon as they got to their tent, she pounced on Arthur and they began kissing after her dose of dramamine. Arthur brought her to the bed and laid down on top of her, kissing her jaw and neck. "Mmm, it's been too god damn long," he said.

"Yes, it has," Lilly replied, suckling on his earlobe. "My pu-"

"Herr Morgan? Mrs. Morgan?" Strauss said outside.

"Yes?" the couple said.

"When you have a chance, I'd like to speak to you both."

"Sure," Arthur said. "First chance we get, we'll talk," Arthur responded. Lilly yanked his head down and kissed him with a giggle. They started unbuttoning their blue shirts and black pants. When Arthur untucked and pulled up Lilly's undershirt, he stopped. "Uh, Lilly?"

"What's wrong?"

"Your uh...you look different."

Lilly glanced down and her brows crinkled. Her areolae were no longer a light pink shade but almost a light brown. "Oh, that. Abigail said that's normal." Suddenly she grinned. "Touch my nipple, see what happens."

Arthur chuckled and he pinched one. It made Lilly gasp loudly and Arthur's eyes opened more, his eyes showing pleasant surprise. "More sensitive?"

"Uh huh." Arthur bent his head down and sucked gently on the nub. Lilly hissed, arched her back and moaned loudly. Her arm slapped the bed from the intensified feeling and when Arthur grasped her other nipple with his fingertips, Lilly squealed in delight. It felt so good. Arthur's tongue flicked along the protruding skin and Lilly slammed her arm on the bed again, making it shake. Her fingers gripped the sheets tightly and Arthur slipped his hand down her pants. When he touched her clitoris Lilly squirmed. "Oh God," she moaned deeply.

Arthur kissed both her nipples as he massaged her nub and Lilly felt her climax approach. When Lilly unexpectedly came, she sighed with a groan and Arthur cackled. "That was quick."

"I know," she breathed out. "Can we fuck now?"

"Ha!" Arthur yanked off his clothes, pulled down her pants, nestled between her legs, and pushed his cock into her womanhood. "Jesus Christ, Lillian. You're hotter, too."

Arthur went in and out with smooth, slow strokes as he continued to kiss, suckle, and tongue flick her nipples. Lilly's back arched again and her legs opened more before enfolding around Arthur's waist. Suddenly he shifted her legs up to go over his shoulders and as he pumped into Lilly, her moans got louder. This was a new move and it felt really, _really_ good. The more Arthur leaned forward, the better it got and the faster his strokes became. Lilly felt her climax reach up and over and she cried out in his mouth from the pleasure. He lifted his upper body and pushed her legs closer to her own body and when he went faster, Lilly gripped the bedsheets furiously. He thrust in and up inside her.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shiiiiiit..." Lilly grabbed a pillow to muffle her shouting as she came again. "Mmmph! Umm grrr, rrr hrr! Yrrr mmkmm mmm hmm shmmm mmmsh!"

Arthur laughed with confidence. "What was that?"

Lilly removed the pillow for a moment. "Oh God, Arthur! You're makin' me come so much!"

Arthur laughed again and kissed her before brushing his lips on her ear. "Tar arís, mo ghrá. Tar do mé arís." _[_ _Come again, my love. Come for me again.]_

"Téigh níos deacra le do thoil!" _[_ _Please go harder!]_

Arthur went deeper into her and Lilly's climax came and went with spasms, making Arthur growl into her neck. "Mothaíonn do coinín chomh maith sin nuair a thagann tú." _[_ _Your pussy feels so good when you come.]_

When Arthur first started speaking Irish near the beginning of their relationship, she was happy to hear it. When she found out he'd been learning it for four years, Lilly became his forever. And when he spoke it during sex, it made her body a lot more susceptible to orgasm harder. And Lilly did so, again and again, as he pushed into her heavily and quickly, speaking sweet nothings in Irish to her the whole time.

"Labhair níos mó," she begged. "Teastaíonn sé uaim. I gá duit, Arthur!" _[_ _Talk more. I need it. I need you, Arthur!]_

"Agair, Lillian! Agair do é, bhean!" _[_ _Plead, Lillian! Plead for it, woman!]_

"Le do thoil! Le do thoil focáil dom! Impím ort!" _[_ _Please! Please fuck me! I beg you!]_

"Tú cailín salach," he whispered with a deep chuckle, thrusting harder and faster. "Tú salach, cailín salach. Is breá liom é nuair a bhíonn tú chomh salach. An tusa mo chailín salach?" _[_ _You dirty girl. You dirty, dirty girl. I love it when you're so dirty. Are you my dirty girl?]_

"Tá! Tá mé do chailín salach!" _[_ _Yes! I am your dirty girl!_

Lilly came again and cried out into the pillow. Shortly after, Arthur grunted loudly and gave her one more deep thrust before settling on her, pushing her legs down into a relaxed position. Heavily breathing and sweating, Arthur rolled onto his back and laughed with satisfaction. "That was amazin', darlin'," he cooed. "I'm sayin' to hell with anythin' else next time you want it."

Lilly laughed. "Then we'll never get anythin' done."

Both of them laughed heartily. Lilly rolled onto her stomach and kissed her husband. "I love you, fhear céile." _[husband.]_

"I love you too, bhean chéile." _[wife.]_

Lilly giggled and kissed him again. "You do me proud with your grasp on the Irish language. You're actually quite good at it."

"Is it that shockin' to you?"

"Yes. You can barely speak English."

"Shut up," he said, hitting her head with his pillow.

Lilly's jaw dropped and she gave him a scoff full of humor. "How dare you strike a countess, Earl of Moycullen!"

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "You and your jokes, woman." He kissed her softly. "Come on. Let's go see Strauss."

They both redressed themselves and when they came out of the tent, the wolves were in camp. Brian was letting Jack ride him around and James was hassling Mr. Pearson for some scraps.

"No James, I told you no!" Pearson shouted with a mighty laugh.

James pawed at him and Lilly strolled over. "James! Knock it off, ya silly buachaill!" she said sternly but affectionately. _[boy!]_

James whined and Pearson guffawed. "It's alright, Lilly. I don't mind spoilin' the boys." Pearson grabbed a small chunk of meat and tossed it to James who chowed it down greedily.

Lilly laughed. "Alright, but if he gives you any trouble, you shout for me."

"Will do."

Lilly looked around for Strauss and saw Arthur already talking to him. She ambled on over and Strauss grinned. "Ah, Mrs. Morgan! Wie geht es Ihnen heute?" _[_ _How are you today?]_

"Mir geht es gut, Mr. Strauss. Und wie geht es dir?" _[_ _I'm fine, Mr. Strauss. And how are you?]_

"Mir geht es gut. Fühlst du dich besser? Ich verstehe, dass Ihre Schwangerschaft bis jetzt etwas rau war." _[_ _I am fine. Do you feel better? I understand that your pregnancy has been a bit rough so far.]_

"Oh, just a wee bit, Leopold. Just a wee bit. But yes, I am feeling better."

Strauss laughed. "That is good to hear. But now, to business. It turns out the pursuit of freedom is not a cheap business. Not for us and not for some of the locals."

"Sharkin' already?" Arthur said with a sigh.

"I prefer to call it banking."

"You ain't the one handin' out the beatings."

"No, but as for that, I would rather the beatings not happen unless necessary, which is why I would like both of your permission to let you, Lilly, to continue collecting the debts."

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other and she smiled. Arthur chuckled and scratched his cheek. "You really did reassess your business, huh?"

"Yes I did, thanks to you, Lilly. However, now that you are with child, I am concerned for your well being. So perhaps, Mrs. Morgan, your husband could accompany you on the debt collections."

Lilly beamed brightly at Arthur. "I know you, Da and Athair are all about me not gettin' into trouble but can we please do this, Mo Fhear Álainn? Please?" She bat her eyelashes, pouted, and put her palms together, interlocking her fingers as the universal sign of begging. _[My Beautiful Man?]_

Arthur chortled at her. "You're such a little shit with your brown nosin'."

"I ain't brown nosin'. I'm appeasin' my husband's pride on his good looks."

"Ha! Okay, okay. Yes, we can do it. But any sign of trouble, I take over. Understand?"

"Yes, mo chuisle." Lilly clung to his arm and kissed his cheek before looking at Strauss. "So, who is on your list?"

Strauss opened his ledger and thumbed through it. "Refinery worker turned hunter by the name of Winton Holmes. You'll find him up in the hills north of Strawberry. Ah, an apprentice undertaker. This one working in Rhodes. His name was Gwyn Hughes."

"And how many of them do you think will be able to pay?" Arthur asked.

"Hmm hmm, with enough encouragement, both of them."

Lilly grinned and grabbed the list from Strauss. "Wir werden das Geld bekommen. Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Strauss," she said, tipping her hat to him. _[_ _We'll get the money. Goodbye, Mr. Strauss.]_

"Auf Wiedersehen, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly went rushing off toward her horses Doc and Liath. "Hmmm, which one of you boys should I take with me?"

"Take Doc. He's scarier," Arthur laughed.

"Hmm, catchin' prey off guard is a good tactic."

"Hey, I thought I was your only prey?"

"You are my only prey, but there are categories now."

Lilly mounted Doc and Arthur got on Tessa. "Really?" Arthur scowled playfully. "That's horseshit."

"Now now, when I'm huntin' for food, what should I call the animals I hunt? My prospective food sources?"

Arthur cackled. "Fair enough. So, what category are people in debt?"

"Debts."

"Simple. I like it." Arthur looked around. "You want the pups to come with?"

Lilly watched Jack still playing with Brian but James came padding up to her. "Maybe just James. Brian is occupied at the moment with mo nia." _[my nephew.]_

James, Arthur and Lilly headed out of camp towards Rhodes.

* * *

"Still don't look quite right," the couple heard a man say as they passed by a building in the city of Rhodes.

Lilly looked at the young man. He was working on a wooden casket. "Hey, didn't Strauss day we was lookin' for an apprentice undertaker?" Lilly asked quietly, pointing in the boy's direction.

"Yes, I believe so."

Lilly smirked at Arthur. "Hmm. You want first dibs?"

Arthur sighed. "Yeah, I'll go first." Arthur took a step away from her, approaching their quarry. "Gwyn Hughes?" he asked. "You start pickin' up a box for yourself," the kid backed up into the corner but Arthur pursued him, cornering him, "if you don't got that money you owe Leopold Strauss," Arthur said in a low voice with a threatening undertone.

Lilly shuddered from the excitement. "Oof, he's good," she giggled to herself.

Gwyn dropped his tool and held up his hands. "Well, I-I don't...I-I...I need more time."

Lilly had seen Arthur threaten people before, but this was different now. Now, Lilly was very aware at how much it turned her on to see Arthur being a true alpha.

"Doesn't everybody?" Arthur snarked. "That casket for you or do you want another?" Arthur threatened.

"Wait! Wait wait wait wait wait! I...I can get it for you. But, uh...well, uh...come with me to the churchyard. And stay close."

Arthur followed. Lilly and James caught up with him and Lilly grasped his arm. "You're such a man, Arthur," she giggled quietly.

"Ah, don't I know it," he replied in a low, gruff whisper.

Lilly frowned. "You don't sound so enthusiastic."

"I'm not. Not about this. I can threaten any bad man as good as the day is long, but threatenin' innocent folk is not somethin' I enjoy."

Lilly quirked her mouth. Now she felt bad for getting randy. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should'a taken this one."

"You can take the next one."

"This...it ain't exactly right what we're doin'," Gwyn stuttered.

"You ain't the first to put his hand in the collection box and you won't be the last. Rest a little easier knowin' churches been takin' more than they need off poor folks since time began," Arthur preached.

"Well, like I said, well," the boy paused his mouth like he was trying to sugar coat something unseemly. "The morality of the matter is a little more confusin' than that," Gwyn huffed nervously.

They closed in on the entrance of the churchyard. "Okay," Arthur said. "You head into the church, we'll keep watch."

"Well, it ain't in there. It's under here. I'm diggin up Mrs. Claypole," Gywn said in a guilty tone.

"Jesus!" Arthur hissed.

"Well, she got a bunch of jewels in there that she don't need."

Lilly stopped with a look of shock on her face. "Ya canna go diggin' people up fer money! What's wrong with ya?!"

"Shh!" Gwyn said. "Keep it down."

"But yer desecratin' someone's restin' place, ya gobshite! Do ya know how...I ain't lettin' ya do somethin' that immoral!"

"Ain't you both debtors?" Gwyn stopped and looked at them both. "Who are you to talk about morals?"

"Oh ho ho," Lilly laughed in disbelief. "Listen here, ya little bastard. The only reason I'm here is tah play nice," Lilly stalked up to him with a glare. "And the only reason he's here is tah beat the shite outta anyone who I deem fit fer an arse kickin'. And ya seem tah be gettin' real close tah gettin' one. From both of us."

Arthur guffawed and clasped his belt. "Please do not upset my wife, Mr. Hughes. She is Irish, so her temper can be, heh heh heh, quite unpleasant."

Lilly looked back at Arthur. Lilly said something similar to Uncle Levi's men when they robbed his train. She eyed him and Arthur gave her a knowing smile and a wink.

"Hmph," she said before looking back at Gwyn who had an frightened expression. "I'm waitin' fer me apology, Mr. Hughes, or do I hafta get me wolf here tah "coax ya" intah apologizin'?"

James made a low growl and Gwyn jumped back. "I-I'm sorry, you're right, I apologize. But how am I supposed to pay you if you won't let me dig up a dead lady?"

Lilly sighed. He had a point. She didn't want to make a habit out of paying off debts for people, so she took a step forward. "Just make it quick, boy. I ain't known fer me patience."

Gwyn hurried up to the church and Lilly followed along with Arthur and James.


	32. The Bombay Shitehawks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is "My Wild Irish Rose" by Chauncey Olcott

_Lilly trotted Liath to Strawberry_. _She had to go find a "Micah Bell" who she couldn't recall, but for some reason, she felt a distaste for the man. Lilly was unsure as to why. She approached the jail but stopped when she saw a man's hands on the bars. That might be Mr. Bell. Lilly got off Liath and started walking._

_"Let me outta here, you maggots!" he shouted. Lilly raised a brow and came into his line of sight. "Lilly? Lilly!"_

_Lilly crossed her arms. She didn't like the look of him. Not one bit. "Mr. Bell. Did ya have a splendid time with whatever it was ya did tah find yerself in jail?"_

_"Why are you talkin' so proper? You gonna get me outta here?"_

_Lilly leaned against the wall. "I am unsure."_

_"Real funny."_

_"Do I seem like the joking type, Mr. Bell?"_

_"Yes! You're the prankster, for cryin' out loud!"_

_Lilly blinked and looked at the other building. She raised her head as a memory came to her. "Oh yes. Hmm. Now I remember."_

_"What in the hell are you talkin' about, woman?"_

_Lilly suddenly glared at Micah. "Only Mr. Morgan can call me that!" she snapped. Lilly blinked a few times, questioning herself. "Why did I just say that?"_

_"Lilly! What is goin' on with you? Did you knock your head loose?"_

_"I lost me memory, Mr. Bell. I do not recollect very much."_

_"Oh." Suddenly Micah beamed at her. "We had a thing, you and I," he said._

_"What?"_

_"We had a thing. You and me. Well, you had a thing with a lot of men, but-"_

_"Excuse me! What thing?"_

_"Your huntin' game. The flirtin'. Don't you remember?"_

_"...No. I am afraid I do not, Mr. Bell. Now, I came here tah get ya out but the more ya keep talking, the less inclined I am tah help ya. Now I will return in a few moments."_

_"I await your return, my pet!" he said with a smile._

_Lilly scoffed and walked around the building to the door. "Eejit," she muttered._

_How was she going to play this? She could shout. No. Too loud. Fight? No, she might not be quick enough for them not to raise an alarm. Pretend she was a relative? Ugh. The thought made her want to vomit. Suddenly the door opened and a man in a red jacket was standing in front of her._

_"Oh, uh, can I help you, miss?" the man asked. Lilly panicked and started singing._

_If you listen I'll sing you a sweet little song_

_Of a flower that's now drooped and dead,_

_The man went black eyed and frozen. Lilly shut his eyes and walked in. There were two other men in the room._

_Yet dearer to me, yes than all of its mates,_

_Though each holds aloft its proud head._

_Lilly power walked to the other immobile men and shut their eyes too. She grabbed the jail cell keys and pocketed them quietly._

_Twas given to me by a girl that I know,_

_Since we've met, faith I've known no repose._

_Lilly crept down the stairs, singing louder._

_She is dearer by far than the world's brightest star,_

_And I call her my wild Irish Rose._

_Lilly got to the bottom, raising her voice still. The O'Driscoll was slack and dark eyed. Micah was too. She quickly got the keys out._

_My wild Irish Rose, the sweetest flower that grows._

_You may search everywhere, but none can compare with my wild Irish Rose._

_Lilly found the right key and unlocked Micah's cell. She dragged hin out and shut the cell door._

_My wild Irish Rose, the dearest flower that grows,_

_And some day for my sake, she may let me take the bloom from my wild Irish Rose._

_Lilly guided Micah up the stairs, still singing loudly. If anyone heard her outside, hopefully they'd be affected._

_They may sing of their rose, which by other names,_

_Would smell just as sweetly, they say._

_Lilly got to the upper level, put the keys back into the sheriff's pocket, and brought Micah to the door._

_But I know that my Rose would never consent_

_To have that sweet name taken away._

_Lilly opened the door and shoved Micah out before shutting the door._

_"Where's your horse?" Lilly asked._

_Micah blinked at her. "What the hell? What just happened."_

_Lilly grabbed him and started taking him to her horse._

_"Hey! Get back here!" someone shouted from the jail house._

_Lilly and Micah ran. "Your horse! Where is your horse?!"_

_"Blaylock is at the stables!"_

_"Ugh!" Lilly sighed and sang once more, helping Micah on Loath and climbing on before singing once more, this time combined with her shout._

_HER GLANCES ARE SHY WHEN E'ER I PASS BY_

_THE BOWER WHERE MY TRUE LOVE GROWS,_

_Everyone in the whole town stopped moving and the animals started following her as Lilly started trotting through the town._

_AND MY ONE WISH HAS BEEN THAT SOMEDAY I MAY WIN_

_THE HEART OF MY WILD IRISH ROSE_

_Lilly looked at her map as she sang. "Stables," she muttered. Where the hell were the fucking stables?!_

_MY WILD IRISH ROSE, THE SWEETEST FLOWER THAT GROWS._

_YOU MAY SEARCH EVERYWHERE, BUT NONE CAN COMPARE WITH MY WILD IRISH ROSE._

_"Aha!" Lilly found it on the map. She resumed singing and shouting as she galloped through town._

_MY WILD IRISH ROSE, THE DEAREST FLOWER THAT GROWS,_

_AND SOME DAY FOR MY SAKE, SHE MAY LET ME TAKE THE BLOOM FROM MY WILD IRISH ROSE._

_Lilly left the town immediately to take the trail to the stables._

* * *

It was dark by the time the Morgans found Winton Holmes. He was sleeping...sitting up. And snoring quite loudly. Lilly suppressed a giggle. She walked up to the sleeping man, bent over at the waist, put her hands behind her back, and cocked her head to one side with an evil smile and a devilish twinkle in her eyes. "WAKE UP, YA LAZY FUCK!"

The man startled awake and backed up when he saw her. "Oh! I didn't expect to run into no one out here."

Lilly bit her lip so she wouldn't start laughing. "Ah, yes. Is that why you're all the way out here, Mr. Holmes?" she asked with a polite tone.

"No. I'm trackin' a cougar, a rare cougar. Lilly white coat, the pelt'll-"

Lilly held up a hand to stop him. "Lilly white coat, you say?" She sighed, standing up straight and looking down at him. "What the hell is with these debts and my damn name?" Lilly asked Arthur.

Arthur laughed. "Hell if I know..."

"Debts? Oh. You're with the German?" Winton asked.

"Yes," Arthur and Lilly both said together.

"Well, the pelt alone will cover more than I owe."

"I see. And you want me to kill and skin it. Is that correct?"

"Please. I'm outta work. It's the only way you'll get paid a-and all the hard work's already done."

"Lillian, you are not goin' after a cougar," Arthur said sternly. "I'll go after the cougar and you stay put."

Lilly groaned. "You're no fun." She knew Arthur was right and they did make a deal. Lilly kissed her husband's cheek. "Fine. But I ain't stayin' put. I am comin' with."

"Fine."

Lilly looked at Mr. Holmes. "Well, what are ya waitin' for? Permission? MOVE, YA FUCK!"

"Yeow! Okay!" The man jumped up and started walking. "We'll uh, uh, need our horses. It's, um, quite a trip."

"Yeah, yeah," Arthur complained. Lilly and the men got on Doc and James padded after them as they left the camp.

* * *

_"How the hell did you do that, Lilly?" Micah asked. "I didn't even know you could sing! And we need to go back for my guns!"_ _Lilly trotted up to the stables and got down. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Mr. Bell. And we will once we get your horse."_

_"Why are you bein' so formal? And when did you get this horse?" Micah asked, climbing down off Liath._

_"Mr. Morgan gave him to me. And I am being formal because I am a noble and I do not remember any of you."_

_Micah gaped at her. "You're a noble?!"_

_"Shh! Quiet! Where is your horse?"_

_Micah looked around. "Aha! There he is." The two went into the horse pen to grab him but then someone put a gun to the back of Lilly's head._

_"Don't you move," a man said._

_Lilly put her hands up amd sighed. "Great."_

_"I'm takin' my horse back, now leave the nice lady alone, drop your gun, and walk away!" Micah shouted_ _with a humorous threat._

_Lilly chuckled. "I could just sing again."_

_"You could, but where's the fun in that?" Micah said with a silly smile._

_Lilly laughed and sighed. "Alright. Your call, Mr. Bell."_

_"Shut up! Both of you! Right now!" the man shouted. Lilly heard a hammer click. Great. "Step away from the horse or I shoot this siren bitch down."_

_Lilly sighed. "I am not a siren. I am only a talented individual, sir."_

_"I said shut up!"_

_Growling was heard behind her. The man was suddenly dragged down and Lilly turned to see two wolves tearing him apart. She backed up into Micah and he laughed._

* * *

"What I know about cats...this one's rare as hen's teeth. I mean, you ever seen an alabaster wild cat?" Winton asked Lilly and Arthur as they headed up a stream.

"The thing about cougars, Mr. Holmes, is that by the time you see 'em, they're already killin' you," Lilly responded.

"That may be, but, this one would be real easy to spot. I been huntin' with my pa, shot all kinds of cats. Never one like this. In another life I'da sought my fortune outdoors, not in the hit, stinkin' belly of a tar pit."

"We ain't interested in your regrets or life story, Mr. Holmes. Just your damn money," Arthur snapped.

"Oh now Arthur, don't be so rude," Lilly teased. "Sir, go ahead and talk. I'm likin' the conversation."

"Ugh, you and your socializin'," Arthur chuckled. "I don't see how you do it."

Lilly smiled at her husband. "Perhaps you should try it sone time, then you wouldn't feel the need to strong arm folks into givin' up money they don't have."

Arthur eyeballed her knowingly. "See, this is why you irritate me."

"Why? Because I'm right?"

"Yes. I hate it when you're right."

Lilly laughed whole heartedly. "I'm sure one of these days you'll be right and I'll be wrong. Just keep workin' at it."

"Hahaha!" Mr. Holmes laughed. "Are you two married?"

"Yes, we are," Lilly said with pride. "Arthur here is the apple of my eye."

"Shut up, woman," Arthur responded with a laugh.

"Oof. It's gettin' cold."

"This is it. Her den. We should leave the horses," Winton pointed out.

Everyone dismounted in front of a dark cave and Arthur and Lilly put on their winter coats. Lilly sighed. "Alright. We gonna lure her out?"

"No," Holmes said, grabbing his lantern. "We're goin' in."

Lilly went bug eyed. "Oh hell no! You are _not_ makin' my husband go in there! Are you feckin' insane?!"

"Well, unless you got predator bait..."

Lilly sighed. She didn't have any on account of never needing it. "Arthur, don't you dare go in there!"

Arthur reached for his gun and lantern. "Relax, we'll be fine."

Lilly sighed. "At least take James with you."

"No! He'll mess up her coat!" Holmes said.

"Well then, I am comin' with!"

Arthur grasped her arm. "Lillian, think of the baby. Please," he whispered. "Do you trust me?"

Lilly huffed. "Not with a fuckin' cougar." Lilly grabbed her bow and went after Holmes. "I am a better hunter than you by far, mo fhear céile."

"Mo bhean chéile, be reasonable! Please!" Arthur chased after her.

"Nope. I am not riskin' the father of me unborn child's life. Do ya hear me, Arthur!?" she shouted. "I won't do it!"

"The hell you won't, woman!" Arthur shouted back.

"Shh! Quiet now. Look, ma'am. We won't be able to miss her, shinin' in the dark. Your husband is right. You shouldn't be riskin' your baby. I got keen eyes. We'll be fine."

"Thank you, Mr. Holmes," Arthur spoke gratefully. "Turns out I am right and you are wrong, Lillian."

Lilly sighed. "Fine. But if I hear a fuss, James and I are comin' in." Lilly bit her lip and kissed Arthur softly. "Please be dog wide." Lilly looked at Winton. "Do not separate, and if ya let him get eaten, I'll kill ya! And if you run into trouble, you shout!"

"Dog wide?" Winton asked.

"Be vigilant."

"Yes ma'am."

Arthur pat her shoulder. "We'll be fine."

James and Lilly stood by as the two men lit their lanterns and went into the pit of dangerous territory. She armed her bow with three improved arrows. "Please be careful," she whispered, aiming towards the cave. When she saw tje lights disappear, she began to shake.

* * *

_Micah put his hands on Lilly's shoulders. "We better go before we become lunch, Lilly," Micah warned._ _The lawman screamed as the pair of wolves bit into him. Then there was silence. The wolves looked over and padded playfully toward Lilly. Micah put Lilly behind him. "Easy now. Lilly, get back."_

_Suddenly, Lilly remembered who the wolves were and laughed. "Brian, James, ya silly boys. Yer frightenin' Mr. Bell."_

_The pups sat and panted. Micah looked at Lilly. "Friends of yours? Why didn't you say anythin'?"_

_"I'm...having memory problems, Mr. Bell. I had an, uh, incident."_

_"An incident?"_

_Lilly sighed. "I'll explain on the way back to..." suddenly another memory popped into her head. Lilly chastisin' the men for whoever spied on her and Arthur...doin' it. Then she remembered Charles telling her what Micah said about her and Arthur. She shoved him and he fell down. "Ya bloody bombay shitehawk! I'll kill ya!"_

_"What? Why?! What did I do?!"_

_"Ya spied on Arthur and I...having...relations! And ya said all those things about shooting him and taking me maidenhood!"_

_"Oh...that," Micah chuckled. "I sure did."_

_"YA PERVERTED BASTARD!" Lilly shouted._

_Micah laughed. "I love it when you shout."_

_Lilly blinked a few times, feeling her cheeks flush. "Why?"_

_"Because it shows how powerful and capable you really are. Does Arthur understand that?_ _Because those days you were missin', all he did was fuss and complain about you. We all looked for you but he was absurdly worried."_

_"I...I'm sure he does know." Lilly said, unsure of herself._ _"He was worried about me?" Another memory flashed in her head. The reunion Lilly and Arthur had when she got back from her disappearance, as well as Micah finding her. "You're the one who found me?"_

_Micah got up and brushed himself off. "Yes. Now, Miss O'Callaghan, you are quite the woman and I adore you to pieces. And if I had my way, then I'da had you all to myself and I would'a shot Arthur and took your virginity. I admit that, but seein' as how sweet Arthur is on you, and you on him, I would never shoot him. He and I are sons of Dutch. I've been a bad boy, but I ain't that bad."_

_Lilly crossed her arms and scowled. "It's Mrs. Morgan."_

_"Ha! He works fast. When did this happen?" Micah asked before getting on Blaylock._

_"Before my incident." Lilly mounted her horse and growled at Micah. "I hate that man, but I apparently loved him enough to hand fast with him before I..."_

_"What's hand fastin'?"_

_"Never you mind. Let's go get your stupid guns. I'll sing again but you should plug your ears before I do that."_

* * *

Lilly heard a cougar's snarl in the cave and her heart stopped. She didn't hear any shouting or gun shots but James remained calm. She wanted to go in so bad. Lilly lit her lantern and got closer to cave. She set it down to make more illumination by the entrance and backed away, rearming her bow and aiming. More snarls and Lilly shuddered. An abrupt roar, a scream, and a few gunshots were heard.

"James, go!" Lilly shouted, grabbing her lantern and tailing James. They went into the left of the cave. Lilly's heart raced as she heard another shout. Fighting was happening for sure. "James! Go get'em!"

James increased his pace, turned a corner, and Lilly watched as he pounced on the cougar. It really was a white cougar. Lilly saw Arthur in a small corner. His leg was scratched up. Winton was face down in the cave and there was blood under him. Lilly watched as the two animals fought and Arthur spotted her.

"Lilly! Get out!" Arthur yelled.

"Shut up, ya eejit! I told ya tah be careful!"

The cougar slashed James in the face and her wolf howled from the pain, backing up and shaking his head. Lilly let an arrow fly and it hit the cougar's shoulder. It screeched and charged for Lilly.

"Run Lilly!"

Lilly threw down her bow, pulled out two knives, and the two combatants collided into each other. The cougar went flailing into the cave wall. Lilly stared at James who recovered from his wound. "James! Get Arthur out of here!"

James bounded to Arthur and nudged under his arm. "Lilly! No!"

"Go, Arthur! Yer only gonna distract me!"

Lilly!"

The cougar got back up and snarled at Lilly. "I SAID GO!"

The cougar hesitantly took steps. "Lilly!"

Arthur suddenly got dragged by his coat collar in the entrance's direction. He was still yelling for her but Lilly ignored him smirking at the dangerous predator. "Alright, ya bitch. Let's have a bloody go!"

* * *

_"That was some good singin', Mrs. Morgan. Hoo, I gotta hand it to ya!" Micah said as they escaped the vicinity of Strawberry._ _Lilly, despite the compliment, was spitting nails. "What the hell was that about back there?!"_

_"Got a bit wild, alright."_

_"Making a bloody house call and shooting those two people?"_

_"Ain't much I care about more than those guns."_

_Lilly grumbled. She understood the sentiment. "I see. Gifts from a loved one?"_

_"My father's guns."_

_"Ah. Well," Lilly sighed as the kept riding. "I can relate to that, but who were those people? Was it really necessary to kill them?"_

_"Skinny and Maddy? Yeah, Skinny and I ran together for a while. Did a bank job down south, didn't end well."_

_"I believe I just saw how it fecking ended," she said furiously._

_Micah laughed maniacally. "He was gonna let me hang. So was his woman."_

_"God, I wish I had let you hang! What, between that and your god damn perverted and sick ways!"_

_"Oh, I ain't so bad, Lilly. But I do apologize. There, are you happy?"_

_"No!"_

_Micah laughed again. "There's just no pleasin' some people."_

_"I dunna know why Da likes you so much. That's the only reason why you didna hang. And the only reason I havena killed ya now is because I owe you fer what ya did up north."_

_"I thought you had memory problems?"_

_"It's all coming back, slowly but surely."_

_"What happened?"_

_Lilly and Micah slowed to a stop. Lilly leaned over her saddle and rubbed her forehead. "Kidnapped, tortured, poisoned, died, then came back to life_ _," she said matter of factly._

_Micah gaped at her. "I don't believe it. You expect me to believe that?"_

_"No. Everyone else at camp will tell you exactly what happened, but only a few people saw what was done to my..." Lilly paused. "My back."_

_"Your back?"_

_Lilly lowered her face. "I was flogged with a barbed whip."_

_"Jesus. I don't believe that either."_

_Lilly glared at him, turned her horse to have her back to him, and untucked her shirt. "Take a look for yourself, Mr. Bell."_

_"Ha! You trust me to not take your whole shirt off?"_

_"You do that and I will rip your bloody head off," she growled._

_"Fair enough," Micah laughed. When he pulled up her outer and undershirt, he didn't say anything. Lilly turned her head and saw him frowning. "...Who did this to you?"_

_"A man named Brutus. He was under the instruction of a Joseph Pierce. And I have no idea why it was done to me."_

_"I am sorry, Lilly. This is cruel, even for my standards." Lilly felt him drop her shirt. "I'm givin' you a holster. My way of sayin' thank you."_

_Lilly turned her horse around. "Seriously?" She wheezed out a laugh. "That isn't enough."_

_"Oh, alright." He tossed her the holster. "Now, I'm headin' back to my little camp 'round back of Strawberry. Come see me, maybe I can make things up to you?"_

_Lilly arched a brow. "If you're referring to something foul and scandalous, I-"_

_"No no, nothin' like that, Mrs. Morgan. I promise."_

_"Tch. You're not coming back with me?"_

_"No, I've been a bad boy, Lilly. I ain't seein' Dutch till I can bring him a peace offerin'."_

_"What did you have in mind for that?"_

_"A robbery. Bankin' coach comes about this time into Strawberry. I heard one of the O'Driscoll boys yappin' about it while I was inside."_

_"Huh. A robbery," Lilly said. She was intrigued. "...You want to make things up to me? Let me come with."_

_Micah smirked with a squinted eye. "You? An amnesiac and a noble? What kind of noble are you, anyway?"_

_"Countess of Moycullen. The second."_

_"Hoo! Ain't that somethin'?"_

_"Look, I heard about Mr. Marston planning a train robbery. I need to relearn how robberies go and I need the money."_

_"Why?" Micah asked suspiciously._

_"I plan on going home to Ireland. I have a...well, I was betrothed to someone since infancy. Plus, I must go reclaim my estate."_

_Micah laughed. "You are just full of surprises. I like your gumption, Countess. But what about Arthur?"_

_"Screw him! He's a contemptuously selfish and irritating gobshite! And we were only handfasted. It's not legally binding as a marriage."_

_"Oh, so you're single?" Micah spoke with a suggestive wink._

_"Stop acting the maggot!" Lilly snapped._

_"What?" Micah giggled._

_"Stop messing around!"_

_"Oh. Well, let's go rob a coach!"_

_Lilly scowled. "After you, Mr. Bell."_

* * *

The cougar and Lilly faced off, circling around. Lilly was glad her eyes adjusted well, even though three lanterns illuminated the area. Lilly smirked with a jerk of her head.

"Come on! Millie up, ya stupid, nutty, albino bombay shitehawk!" The creature snarled and hissed before rushing Lilly again. It tackled her and it clawed her arm. "Fuck!"

Lilly held the animal up and stabbed it in the side. The cougar backed off with the knife still in and she snarled before coming at Lilly again. It tried to bite Lilly's foot but she kicked the cougar with the bottom of her foot. Lilly heard bone crunch. The predator fell down but got back up, its jaw broken and slacked. Lilly scooted back, pulled out her revolver, and shot the animal in the head sever times before it finally was killed.

"Jesus McKinley Christ!" she exclaimed. Just then, James came padding in and licked her face. Lilly went on her back and sighed from the pain in her arm. She looked at it and blinked. It was healing before her very eyes. "Bloody hell..."

Lily heard a groan. She grabbed one of the lanterns and looked for Winton. He had rolled over and was groaning. "Ow..."

Lilly ran over to inspect him. The only damage was a nasty looking cut to his forehead and a scratched up shoulder. "Mr. Holmes! You're alive!"

"Ugh, barely."

"Can you walk?"

"I think so." Lilly held out her hand and Winton took it. She helped him up carefully and he groaned. "Ow...thank you." He looked around and saw the cat. "You got her."

"Yes, but I'm afraid her coat is a little damaged."

"You took her down. That's what...wait, where's your husband?"

"Just outside." Lilly pat James on the head. He no longer had claw marks on his face. Huh. That probably explained how the boys survived being shot by Brutus. Heh. Lilly picked up the dead cougar. "Come on, let's get outta here."

"Gladly."

Winton grabbed the other two lanterns and Lilly's bow, then they went in the direction of the exit. When Lilly turned the corner, she saw Arthur laying down on the ground and she laughed. "Takin' a break, mo chuisle?" Arthur slowly got up and spotted his wife.

"Lillian," he said. Lilly was glad Arthur was okay. She dropped everything and ran to Arthur, holding him as she closed in and shutting her eyes to hold back tears. Arthur held her tightly as if they hadn't seen each other for a whole lifetime. "God dammit Lilly, you scared the daylight out of me! Don't ever do that again!"

"I won't as long as _you_ don't ever do that again." Lilly didn't care about bring scolded. She breathed him in, the smell of pine trees being a comfort to her. "Tá mé i ngrá leat." _[I am in love with you.]_

"Tá mé i ngrá leat," he replied. "Your arm." _[I am in love with you.]_

Lilly looked down and saw fresh scars on her forearm. "It's fine. I'm a fast healer," she joked.

Arthur found it in himself to chortled and kissed her. He looked behind her and gawked. "He's alive too?"

"Yes. Now let's get you both to a doctor."


	33. Trouble

After collecting the money for the pelt and body, Lilly went to go check on her husband and Mr. Holmes. Holmes was fit to ride but Arthur suffered a few claw marks to his thigh so he needed a carriage ride most of the way back to camp. Lilly helped him in carefully and they got going with Tessa, Doc and James following behind them.

"So your arm healed up just like that?" Arthur asked his wife.

"Yes. Very strange. Same thing happened with James."

"Hmm. Now we know why they didn't croak from bein' shot by that Brutus feller," Arthur said. "Makes me wonder what else you three are capable of."

"I'm sure all will be revealed in time."

"You think so?"

Lilly frowned. Should she tell him about the rest of her dreams? She decided not to. Lilly didn't want him worrying about Sean. Or her burning at the stake, especially now that she was with child. "It's a hunch, really, but I think I have these gifts for a reason. I ain't sayin' I got a huge destiny or anythin', but...I dunno, maybe The Morrigan needs me for somethin'. I don't know."

Arthur chuckled. "I ain't sure I told you this, but remember the day I saved you? It was the red child who told me where you were. I think she was The Morrigan. Said you didn't remember her."

"Huh." Lilly couldn't remember if he ever mentioned it. "I see. Well, she's been around for a while. I remember her from my tree, you know. I used to call her Morgan."

"Ha! Coincidence?"

"I doubt it."

The carriage ride was a long one and they didn't get to Rhodes until the next morning. Lilly had given Arthur plenty of alcohol for the pain during the night so by the time they got out, he was quite inebriated but able to walk with a limp.

"Aaaaahhh," he groaned with a stretch. "So good to...to be outta that, hahahaaa, carriage."

Lilly laughed and grabbed the horses. "Now, can we please get goin' home?"

"Yes but...oof," Arthur pointed to a bench and Lilly walked him over to it. As she helped him sit down, he yanked her with him and kissed her. "Yes, mo stór, we can go home. But not yet." Arthur laid a sloppy kiss on her.

Lilly laughed with amusement into his mouth. "Arthur, ya drunk shite...stop it."

"No. I wanna kiss my wife," he cooed.

Lilly pushed him off. "I wanna kiss you too, but we need to get you home."

"Oh aye, but I dunna wantah go home yet, me wee lassie..."

Lilly giggled happily at his impersonation of an Irishman. "Now you're just bein' silly."

"Aye, that I am, lass. It's me way of courtin' ya."

Lilly laughed again. "Ya already courted me, Arthur. Ya already have me."

"Mmm, if I did, you'd kiss me, woman," he said, resuming his regular cowboy voice.

Lilly rolled her eyes and kissed him gently. "Ya big randy bithiúnach."

"Am I big?" Arthur said with a drunken smile. "I don't think you'd know, but..."

Lilly's mouth dropped and she scoffed in disbelief. "You are a cad!" she said, smacking his arm.

Arthur laughed and grabbed his arm to fake his pain. "Oohoo. Ouch. Ya hurt me, me bonnie wife."

"Oh shut up."

Arthur began to cackle and Lilly giggled into a fit. She rested her head on his shoulder and stared out at the town. "You never told me the rest of your dream, Lilly."

She tensed. "I don't remember the rest."

"Lillian, I can tell you're lyin'."

"Arthur, I don't remember the rest."

"Oh really?" He looked at her with a serious look. "Lillian. Was it bad?"

Lilly huffed. She hated him trying to push her into doing things. "I do not wish to discuss it."

"...Fine." Arthur slowly got up. "I'm gonna head home."

"Without me? What about me being by myself?"

"You got James with you." He hobbled over to Tessa.

"Can I at least help ya on yer horse?" Lilly scowled.

"I got it!" he snapped.

"Stop actin' like a big dumb brute! Ya ain't one and ya know it!"

It took him a bit, but he finally got on. "I'll see you later."

"But Arthur, I-" Arthur turned and galloped off. Lilly growled in frustration. "Stubborn arsehole!" She looked at James and sighed. "Follow Arthur, make sure he gets home. Don't get seen."

James tracked after Arthur and Lilly giggled. How the wolves understood her every word, she had no idea. Perhaps they were freaks like her. Lilly spotted a white Arabian and a brown Ardennes across the other side of town. Hmm, what was Da and Bill doing here? She clicked for Doc and he followed her. "What say you, Dubh Sainglenn? Shall we go have a visit?"

The horse neighed and Lilly lead him over to the Count and Brown Jack. She hitched Doc up and walked inside the sheriff's office.

"Of course, of course. Oh, and here is my dear daughter, Lilly Callahan. Arthur's wife," Dutch said. Lilly raised a brow. Callahan? She didn't bother to ask about the pseudo name. "Girl is a hunter, girl is a killer. Lilly, you've met but not been introduced to Mr...oh, I'm so sorry, Sheriff Gray."

"How are you doin', ma'am?" the sheriff asked, sounding drunk as a skunk.

"I'm good, sir," Lilly replied casually.

"Hey, you're Irish. Mr. Macintosh, you ain't Irish, are ya?"

"No. Lilly here is adopted, but she's my daughter just the same."

"Oh that's just wonderful. Hmm, but a tough business you and the boys had, Mrs. Callahan."

Lilly looked at Dutch who winked at her, then she glanced back at Sheriff Gray. "Yes. Quite unfortunate, sir."

"Life can be tough."

"Aye, that it can be."

"And no man owes another anythin'," the sheriff preached loudly.

"No, sir." Lilly bit her lip, trying to prevent herself from laughing. The sheriff was obviously daft, but adorable.

"But still," the sheriff got up. "I feel you were hard done by...losin' your enployment like that." The man wobbled near her and the smell of alcohol made her feel queasy. Shit. "But still, here in Rhodes we have work enough for honest men and women."

The man offered her some moonshine but she declined. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't have alcohol. My husband and I are expectin'," she said.

"Ah, well congratulations."

"Speakin' of Arthur, where is he?" Dutch asked.

Lilly crossed her arms. "Home. Got his leg sliced up by a cougar like the eejit he is," she said with a scowl.

"Uh oh. He okay?"

"Yes, but he will be out of commission for a while. I should help pick up the slack."

"Sweetheart, you know how I feel about you takin' risks now that you got a baby on the way," Dutch scolded. Lilly discreetly showed Dutch her forearm with the scars from the cougar and he looked at her in shock before an expression of full awareness appeared on his face. "Then again, you are a force to be reckoned with, pregnant or not."

"Most women are!" the sheriff laughed. "Excuse me a moment." Sheriff Gray stumbled through the door and fell as the door shut."

"Lillian, how did you get that scar? And why is it already healed?" Dutch asked with humor.

"The cougar. And hell if I know why it healed right before my eyes," Lilly chuckled. "I keep wonderin' how much more of a freak I'm gonna turn out to be."

Bill got up and looked at her arm. "What happened to the cougar?"

"I killed it, of course."

"Well, since Arthur is out, could you go and ask one of the other boys to come and take his place? Maybe John or Micah or Sean? I got a feelin' we're about to do somethin' dubious." Bill and Dutch laughed. "Oh, by the way, we been deputized."

Lilly's mouth went agape when she looked at Dutch. "Have ya gone soft in the head, old man?"

"Amongst these drunkards, hillbillies, and slavers, good honest thieves like us? We're bound to be moralizers in a place like this." Sheriff Gray came staggering through the door. "Oh! Sheriff Gray! You are back."

Lilly sighed. "I'll go see who can come, Da." Lilly sighed. "Excuse me, gentlemen." Lilly left the office and immediately went to her satchel bag on the horse. As she grabbed the dramamine and teaspoon, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she spun around.

"Oh. Hi Arthur."

He looked mad. "Why did you send James with me?"

Lilly sighed. "To keep an eye on you. I was worried about your leg."

"Well I'm fine." Arthur looked at the buiding. "Is Dutch in there?"

"Yes." Arthur limped up the steps. "Wait just a god damn minute, Arthur!" she snapped. "They're about to go do somethin' dubious so don't you think about doin' it. Not with your leg!"

Arthur chuckled bitterly and looked at her. "Now you know what it's like to be concerned for a spouse's well being, huh?"

Lilly scoffed. "Excuse me fer givin' a fuck, ya stubborn, bitter arse!"

"I'm stubborn? I'm stubborn?! What about you?! Goin' off and killin' a god damn cougar, endangerin' our baby!"

"Obviously I handled meself just fine! Yer so concerned fer me and the baby that ya can't even look after yerself! Ya could'a died yesterday and where would that leave us?! Huh?! Me tah raise a baby without its father?!"

Arthur sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Lillian, I ain't the one who's pregnant. I just want you two to be safe!"

"We are safe! I can keep us safe and yesterday I proved it! So stop actin' like the baby and I are Isaac and Eliza!"

As soon as Lilly said that, she regretted it. The look on Arthur's face was the kind of ferocity she hoped never to see from him. He approached her slowly and got in her face. "Not all of us are freaks of nature, Lillian."

Talking about his dead son and Eliza were one thing, but throwing the biggest insecurity Lilly had in her face was a new low and Lilly had nothing else to say. She turned and walked away from him, mounting Doc and leaving to go back to camp. James followed along with her.

* * *

_21-year-old Lilly, in her summer gunslinger outfit, was brushing down Holly as she looked over at the lake by Blackwater. She smiled when she saw a herd of wild horses running along the shore. She gave Holly an apple and continued brushing when she smelled pine trees, a once pleasantly intoxicating smell of her guardian Arthur. Now it gave her a feeling of disdain. They'd had a fight a few days ago in the lake and both were not speaking to each other. Well, her moreso than him, but Arthur still seemed to do nothing but avoid her._

_"Don't mind me, just grabbin' Boadicea," she heard Arthur say._

_"Fine," she muttered, continuing to brush Holly. Lilly saw him saddle up his champagne colored Missouri Fox Trotter and mount up, but other than that, Lilly paid him no mind at all. He left without so much as a goodbye and Lilly shut her eyes as she stopped brushing her horse. She suddenly growled and kicked over an empty bucket. "Feckin' gobshite bastard!"_

* * *

Lilly was sad when Arthur didn't come back to the tent. It'd been days since they'd spoken to one another because of their fight in Rhodes. Arthur saw fit to ignore her any time she tried to speak and sleep elsewhere each night, so she eventually ignored him despite herself. She missed him, but she was still mad about what he said to her. Lilly knew he only said it out of anger, so her longing outweighed her fury, whereas he seemed to be the exact opposite. And the tension was felt throughout the whole camp and after about a week and a half, Sean and Karen confronted her about it.

"What's goin' on with you two?" Karen asked Lilly, sitting down with her and Sean while eating stew.

Lilly poked at her food while holding her head up by the jaw. "We had a fight," she mumbled. "A bad one."

"What was it about?" Sean inquired in a concerned.

"Why don't you go ask him, deartháir?" she grumbled.

Sean sighed and got up with his dinner stew, walking away. Karen scooted closer to Lilly and rubbed her back. "How's my little niece or nephew doin'? Is he or she causin' her momma some trouble?"

"I still got mornin' sickness but it ain't as bad as it was." In fact, Lilly found she was hungry for not just pickles and ice cream and salted meat, but now she craved berries. Little Jack went out with Mary-Beth the day before and picked some for her, and Lilly thanked hin profusely. Lilly took a bite of stew lazily. "Why did I have to bring up Isaac and Eliza?" she asked rhetorically.

"Uh oh. Is that why you ain't speakin' to one another?" Karen asked with a sigh.

"Yes. That and his response was very unpleasant."

"How unpleasant?"

"Not all of us are freaks of nature, Lillian," Lilly said in Arthur's voice. She took a deep breath. She'd been having bad dreams about being a freak ever since. Not night terrors, thankfully. Just bad dreams. And every night she woke up alone. She hated it. "All because I told him to stop treatin' me like I was Eliza and the baby like Isaac. I mean, I saved his fuckin' life from bein' eaten by a cougar, and what does he do? He gets mad because I won't talk about a certain thing. But...gah, he don't like havin' Eliza or Isaac brought up, neither."

Lilly got up and walked off. "Lilly! Where ya goin'?"

"Out!"

Lilly got to Liath, saddled him up, and left the camp. She whistled for the pups and they came running. Fuck what she wasn't allowed to do, she was going hunting. And boy, did she hunt. Lilly and her boys killed boars. Lots of them. She'd skinned at least a dozen and then she killed a good sized buck. She skinned him and put the carcass on Liath. The body would go for a decent price. She hunted two wild turkeys as well. After all that, she felt so much better. Hunting was her biggest stress reliever. Well, it _was_ at one point. It got shoved into second place once her and Arthur started their relationship. Ugh, she couldn't think about him or that now. It made her whole body yearn for him. Once Lilly was in Rhodes with Brian and James, she went on her way to the butcher. After selling everything, she'd made thirty dollars. Not too bad at all. When she was done, Lilly traveled south through town and caught a glimpse of women scattered around a wagon. Lilly looked at the crowd curiously and trotted over with her horse and wolves.

There was an older woman standing on a box, ranting about women's suffrage and Lilly smiled. This wasn't something she expected to see in the south, but she was happy she did. All the women were wearing teal colored sashes and some even held signs about voting and second class workers. Lilly continued listening to the older woman when some of the ladies caught sight of her wolves and backed up in fear.

Lilly held up her hand. "Relax, they're docile. For the most part."

One particular blonde haired woman in a white dress with teal bows approached her. "Excuse me, Miss, but are you a supporter of our cause?"

Lilly smirked. "Yes."

The blonde woman gave Lilly a quick curtsy. "Miss Penelope Braithwaite."

Lilly's smirk turned into a big smile. "Mrs. Lilly Callahan," she said, tipping her bulldogger hat. Suddenly she remembered the name. Oh. That boy named Beau had been scolded by the sheriff for talking to her. Was Beau part of the Gray family? "Huh, do you know a guy named Beau? Is he a Gray?"

"Yes," was all Penelope could say with a blush. "I...we're only acquaintances. His family and mine are, well..."

Lilly got the sense there was more going on with that but she didn't pry and changed the subject. "I was only curious. So, women's suffrage, huh? You guys doin' a rally today or somethin'?"

"Yes, ma'am." Penelope looked down at Brian and James. "My, you surely must be a progressive woman to have obtained wolves. And the size of them...I don't believe I've even heard of wolves being this big."

Lilly laughed, getting off Liath and shoving her thumbs into her pockets. "They're Canadian. Everythin' is bigger in Canada."

"I see. May I pet them?"

"Of course, Miss Braithwaite."

Penelope bent down and held out her hands. The boys sniffed, then licked her hands and Penelope giggled. She scratched the top of their heads. "They're such gorgeous creatures. What are their names?"

"Well thank you, Miss Braithwaite. James and Brian."

Miss Braithwaite stood and eyed Lilly. "Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Callahan, but if you'll excuse me, I must put these signs onto the wagon."

Lilly looked behind Penelope and shrugged. "I can help if you need it."

"Oh, that would be lovely! Thank you."

"No problem," she said and followed the blonde woman over.

They both got to work putting up signs about women's rights. They chatted away about the movement, about the comings and goings of the area, and about their interests. They had just finished hanging the signs when Penelope looked over Lilly's shoulder.

"Beau!" Penelope gasped. "Oh...oh dear. And that man who delivered, um..."

Lilly looked as well and saw Beau...with Arthur. Great.

"Oh dear, indeed," Lilly replied with an eye roll. "That man is my husband."

"Oh. Oh! He spoke of you so fondly!"

Lilly raised a brow in disbelief at Penelope. "Did he? When?"

"When he delivered a letter for me this morning. Excuse me..." Penelope went and greeted Beau. "Beau, what are you doing here?" she asked as they held hands.

"I cannot let you go through with this," Beau whispered. "You'll be killed!"

Lilly watched them with amusement. "I'm prepared to die for the cause, Beau. You know that," Lilly heard Penelope say.

Beau stared at Arthur. "Do something, please!"

"Do what? Fight this mob?" Arthur motioned to the crowd of ladies. "They'd eat me alive."

"This is no laughing matter, sir. They need protecting from...certain elements. Mostly my family." Beau urged Penelope again. "Penelope, I beg you!"

Lilly stood next to Penelope. "Oh fer feck's sake, Mr. Gray. Just let the girl's voice be heard."

"Mrs. Callahan!" Penelope giggled. "Such language!"

Beau looked at Lilly. "Oh yes. I remember you now. Your husband here helped with catching those Anderson boys."

"Yes, and he did it rather splendidly. However," Lilly pulled out her repeater and cocked it. "Since my husband here is too afraid of gettin' eaten alive by these so-called..." Lilly arched brow. "Poor, defenseless, fragile little ladies, I'll shoot anyone who gets..."uppity". Is that to your satisfaction, Mr. Gray?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Callahan," Penelope said gratefully.

"You're welcome."

Beau gawked at Lilly then looked at Arthur, who seemed mad for calling him out, yet amused for using the word that had some humorous and sentimental value. "You're right, Arthur. Your wife is quite a woman."

Lilly blushed. Now she felt bad. "Hmm."

Arthur cleared his throat. "Well, I ain't too sure about this, Miss Penelope. Folks 'round here do get rather "uppity" about women's rights, I've noticed. You sure you wanna go through with this?"

"Yes!" Beau said. "Please listen to the man, Penelope!"

Penelope and Lilly scoffed. "I'll tell you what!" Penelope snapped. "Your friend here can drive the wagon for us! It'll allow us to shout all the louder!"

All the women of the movement let out a big 'hurray', and Lilly bared an enlivened smile. Penelope brought over the older woman who went by the name Miss Calhoon to Arthur. Lilly got on Liath and grinned at all the women.

"Olive Calhoon. Normally, I like to drive myself, but today, I feel like a man joining us sends the right message," Lilly overheard the woman say.

"Oh!" Penelope interrupted. "Don't forget Mrs. Callahan there! She's gonna walk with us too! She's mighty progressive!"

Arthur cleared his throat. "Yes. That would be my wife. Mighty progressive."

Lilly tilted her head and stared at Arthur with puzzlement. Miss Calhoon eyeballed Lilly and the wolves. The Irish woman waved a hand in greeting. "Well, she certainly looks it, Miss Braithwaite. Come, let's get going!" She walked away but turned to Lilly. "I trust you can keep your wolves in line, Mrs. Callahan? We don't want a massacre."

Lilly nodded. "Of course!"

Arthur followed Olive to the wagon as some of the women climbed into it. "Well, I ain't never been in a protest march before, madam."

"Well, just treat us like the sheep and the folks attackin' us like the...well, wolves, and I'm sure you'll feel right at home!" She patted the seat next to her. "Shall we go?"

Arthur climbed in and Lilly approached the back of the wagon on Liath with Brian and James. The women stared both in awe and in shock at her large wolf pups, and began gossiping amongst themselves. Lilly rolled her eyes in annoyance. "If ya ladies got somethin' tah say about me or me wolves, ya can say it tah me!"

She heard Arthur laugh. "Please don't make my wife angry, madams! Mrs. Callahan is quite the force to be reckoned with!"

Lilly smiled to herself. Most of the women apologized softly. The wagon started to proceed and the women began singing. Lilly felt it was a very nice tune. They eventually made their way down the main street and passed the Sheriff's office. It was at this point when the hecklers began chiming in. Lilly heard men booing them, telling them to go home. A couple of men got a little too close to the wagon to yell at the women. They were quickly silenced, however, by the growls and snarls of Brian and James. Some of the ladies stopped singing to laugh at the men.

"Ha! Did you see the look on his face?" one of them shouted. More laughter erupted from the wagon.

The caravan stopped in front of the Bank of Rhodes. Lilly got off and hitched Liath to a post.

"Ladies, get down!" Miss Calhoon yelled, climbing out of the passenger seat.

Arthur and the rest of the women got out, and they continued to sing. Lilly heard more hecklers. "Oh, looks like the circus is in town!" one of them yelled.

"Shut your mouth!" another man said to the women.

The ladies climbed the steps as the insufferable men around them continued to throw insults and angry shouts of protest. Lilly shook her head and stood at the edge of the steps to keep the mob at bay. She kept a close eye on James and Brian who were getting visibly irritated with the crowd.

"Easy, my boys, easy," she cooed.

The pups whined at her. Lilly absentmindedly pet their heads as Miss Calhoon began speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said with her arms raised in peace. "This is a great day for all of us. For today is the day we begin to live as equals."

One particular man in the crowd laughed. "Ha! Equals! Haaa!"

"Yes, equals, sir!" Miss Calhoon spoke to the man. "Fair and equal."

"This is unnatural!" he shouted. "This is nonsense!"

The crowd was a mix of women cheering and men arguing. "Fair, equal, and free. Just as the Founding Fathers intended."

"Founding Fathers, not Founding Mothers, you silly old goat!"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up, will ya?" she shouted. "Who the hell are ya tah judge about what's unnatural?"

The man stared at her incredously. "Well, I know havin' wolves at your beck and call ain't natural, you damn witch!"

Brian and James snapped at the man and he jumped back with a screech. "Boys! Behave yourselves!" she shouted.

The wolves resumed their relaxed state and the man pointed at her. "You're a witch!"

Lilly stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to Miss Calhoon. "I apologize for the interruption, ma'am. You was sayin'?"

Miss Calhoon nodded in approval and continued her speech. Lilly crossed her arms while listening, but she became uncomfortably aware of the eyes on her. She looked around and saw many of the men, and even some of the women, looking at her suspiciously. She frowned with anxiety, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Beau talking to some people.

"...you got anything better to do?" Beau said. Lilly looked over and saw Arthur approach them.

One of the men growled. "You always was a-"

"Beau!" Arthur said. "Weren't we just leaving?"

A fat man in a green shirt pointed at Arthur accusingly. "Who the hell is this?"

Arthur pointed between the buildings. "Follow me 'round here," he said to Beau. "Come on."

Lilly watched sadly as Arthur and Beau left. "And what is America, but a land of the future?" Miss Calhoon shouted. "A land of equality, a land of progress!"

Lilly once again felt eyes on her and decided to take her leave. "Alright, let's go, boys."

* * *

Lilly returned to camp. She felt pretty good now. As she got in, Abigail confronted her. "Hey Lilly."

Lilly smiled as she got off the horse. "Hey there, Abigail. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you feelin'? With the baby, I mean?"

"Better. Not so much throwin' up now, but gosh my...well, my uh..."

"Breasts are tender? That's normal," she whispered, giggling with a covered mouth.

Lilly cackled. "Thank God. Um...about, um, my emotions, I have noticed I been feelin'...uppity, lately."

"Uppity?"

"Pissed off."

"Oh. That's normal too. I mean, you remember how I was when I was carryin' Jack?"

Lilly shuddered. "Abigail, I think your temper more than rivaled mine."

They both laughed and walked along, talking more about pregnancy and what Lilly should expect. Lilly was surprised that her thicker and shinier hair was also a consequence to pregnancy. Abigail then asked about Lilly's baby bump.

"I don't know if I have that yet, I haven't really checked." Lilly rubbed her stomach. "Oh shit." Her abdomen was a little swollen and Lilly could no longer feel the faint traces of her abs. Lilly untucked her shirts and looked down. "Ha! I got one already?"

"Looks like it!" Abigail laughed. "Lilly, you don't know how happy Jack and I are about you and Arthur havin' a baby!"

Lilly giggled, rubbing her belly. The surrealness of her pregnancy suddenly felt, well, more real. "I'm pregnant. I never thought I would be." Lilly fingered the scar she had from falling out of a tree and getting impaled by a rather large and thick stick...or a small, thin branch, depending on one's perspective. She thought about the day in the hospital when confronted by the doctor about her womb.

* * *

_The doctor came into the room where Lilly was resting. He sat down in a chair next to her and smiled. "You're goin' to be just fine, Miss O'Callaghan."_

_Lilly grinned. "Good."_

_The doctor suddenly frowned. "Miss, if I may be frank with you, I noticed something during your surgery."_

_Lilly lowered her eyes. "I was hoping you'd miss it."_

_"A bad doctor would've missed it, but I think you are lucky to have a good one for a surgery like that."_

_Lilly laughed. "Yes. I am. Thank you for savin' me."_

_"You're welcome. But, uh...may I ask what happened?"_

_Lilly squinted her mouth and her eyes filled with sadness. "Back when I was a child, I lived in Saint Denis. I went to a...special school. It was exclusive for only girls and boys with...a certain potential to learn a various set of skills. Anyway, one of the requirements was to...give up one's fertility. Willingly or not. I fought it, so instead of surgery, they used...other means. To teach me a lesson about being disobedient."_

_"I see. That is a horrible thing to experience. Do your fathers know?"_

_"Nobody knows. Just me. And," Lilly sat up with difficulty. "I'd appreciate it if you...made something up. This is a very private matter for me and I'd rather they not know."_

_"Would you like me to tell them your fall and the puncture to your stomach caused you to go barren?"_

_"...Yes, if it's not too much trouble."_

_The doctor patted her hand. "Of course not. The confidentiality between a doctor and a patient is a binding, oral contract." The doctor stood. "I will tell them the news."_

_"Thank you, doctor."_

_"For now, just relax. We will need to keep you overnight for observation, just in case."_

_"That's fine."_

_Once the doctor left the room, Lilly leaned back and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face._

* * *

Lilly smiled softly and tucked her shirts back into her pants. "I was wonderin' why my pants were gettin' a bit snug."

Abigail crossed her arms with a frown. "Are you and Arthur still fightin'?"

"Fightin' requires talkin' to each other, so no."

"I'm sorry to hear that. When we all heard you two _finally_ got together, everyone was happy. Well, Javier and Bill were slightly disappointed and Micah was, well, he was Micah about it."

Lilly cackled loudly. "I bet he was."

"Hey Lilly!" Lilly heard Hosea say.

She looked around, spotted him and waved. "Yes Athair?"

He approach both the women. "I need you for somethin', if you're up for it?"

"Sure."

Abigail excused herself and Lilly said goodbye. "I was goin' to have John help me with our newly requisitioned supply of moonshine but Dutch needs him for somethin', and I can't seem to find Arthur. Could you help me out?"

"Of course, Athair."

"Good. Oh, and bring the boys. We may need them."

Lilly whistled for Brian and James and they came bounding out of the bushes. "Lead the way."


	34. The Watches

"So, what are we doin'?" Lilly asked Hosea.

"Sellin' it back to where it came from," he replied with a smug smile.

"Wait, seriously?"

"Well I ain't got a market for it. They made it, so they must have someone to sell it to." Lilly helped Hosea load some of the moonshine on the wagon. "Stuff looked kinda lonely out here. I think we'll cut ourselves a deal."

Lilly made a face of approval. "Ah, I see. Sounds promisin'."

"Arthur, Bill, and Dutch was just doin' their duty when they requisitioned it," Hosea said as they both climbed up. "Now I'm doin' mine."

Lilly started driving. "Wait, Arthur helped with this? What about his leg?!"

"Apparently he was too heated to care."

Lilly frowned. "Yeah, I did tick him off pretty bad."

"I'm sorry you two are fighting. It seems worse than the last fight you two had. Are you two not gonna speak for a month now?"

"If it takes him that long to speak to me. I already tried several times but he only ignored me."

"He must be really mad."

Lilly nodded. "I brought up Eliza and Isaac. Then he called me a freak of nature."

Hosea made a face of disapproval. "Both of you are idiots."

Lilly laughed. "I know. I heard love does that, though."

"Yes, but you two been idiots with each other since day one."

* * *

_Hosea watched as the little girl they met that day came back from the river to the shore, followed by Arthur. Him and Dutch just got a fire going._

_"I'm goin' huntin'," she said with a sour face._

_"Alright," Dutch said, grinning at her._

_"Can I come with?" Arthur asked with a smile. He was still shirtless._

_Lilly turned to look at him but stopped. "No, I'd rather ya not, Arthur."_

_"We...well, why not?"_

_"Because ya canna go with me!" she snapped._

_"What do you mean I can't go with you?" Arthur, asked._

_"I mean I prefer tah hunt alone!" Lilly shouted._

_"Why?_ _I won't get in the way!"_

_"It's not about that! You'd be too much of a..." Hosea saw her blush. He looked at Arthur, then at Lilly. Oh._

_"Arthur, I think it's your-"_

_Lilly interrupted with wide eyes. "Can you please reason with Mr. Morgan before we all starve tah death?!"_

_Hosea held up his hands to surrender and looked at Dutch who had a look of amused awareness. So the kid liked Arthur, but did she even know it?_

_"Oh, so I'm the unreasonable one?" Arthur snapped. "I just want to make sure you're okay! You were just in an accident! And what about your foot?!"_

_Lilly sighed. "My foot is fine. Now if you'll excuse me..." Lilly turned on her good heel and wandered into the forest with Arthur chasing after her._

_"Lilly! You get back here, young lady!"_

_"Shut up, ya clout! Yer gonna scare all the game away!"_

_"Don't you call me a clout, you little guttersnipe!"_

_"Overbearin' jackass!"_

_"Spoiled brat!"_

_"Feckin' gobshite!_

_"Little wench!"_

_Dutch and Hosea laughed with each other. "I think they're a match made in heaven, Dutch," Hosea commented._

_"I agree. That little troublemaker is perfect for him," Dutch replied, chuckling deeply._

_"Think of what'll happen when she becomes a woman. Think Arthur will fight off all her suitors?"_

_"Ha! I'm sure he will if we don't."_

_"Us?"_

_"Yeah. Don't you feel the need to protect that child?"_

_"Sure, but seems to me she can take care of herself. You saw inside that carriage. No way a rollin' down a hill would make all that blood. And you saw her knives."_

_"Yes, this is true. What kind of kid can kill like that?"_ _Dutch asked._

_"A capable_ _one. A troubled one."_

_"Hosea, I'm pretty sure she's beyond troubled, but-"_

_"Then why risk takin' her in?"_

_"Risk? What risk? You think she's a bad egg?" Dutch raised a brow._

_"No, of course not! She's a delight! But she might require a lot more responsibility than we can handle."_

_"Heh heh heh, try tellin' that to Arthur," Dutch chuckled._

_Arthur came back to the men with blood on his forehead. "That little shit hit me!" Dutch and Hosea laughed louder. "It's not funny!" Arthur said, cleaning off the blood. "I should'a grabbed her and spanked her little behind like the brat she is!"_

_"Look at Arthur, Hosea. Not even a day and he wants to discipline her," Dutch laughed. "Arthur, I have never seen you this flustered. I love it!"_

_"Shut up, Dutch," Arthur said glumly, which made Hosea and Dutch laugh more. He sat down by the fire and pulled out a bottle of bourbon, drinking it heavily. "That god damn kid. She shouldn't be out on her own."_

_"Arthur, she'll be fine. I know you like her, but-"_

_"She was dead, Dutch..." Arthur said with a frown. "If that happens again, I'll never forgive myself."_

_Hosea was so confused. Not one hour had gone by since they met Lilly and already she'd captured Arthur's heart and wrapped him around her little finger, claiming himself to be Lilly's guardian until Arthur's last breath. Hosea found it amusing until Arthur cried with the dead girl in his arms, then he knew Arthur was very serious about his oath. As he contemplated all this, Lilly came bounding out of the forest with a peccary on her hunting sled._

_"Well that was fast!" Hosea said, impressed at her hunting prowess._

_Lilly brought the pig over by the fire, took out a knife, and began to skin it. "Thank you."_

_Arthur cocked an eye at her. "What are you?!" he asked her._

_"Efficient, resourceful, and if ya refer tah me as "what" again, I'll beat the piss outta ya."_

_"What a pistol_ _," Dutch said._

_"Actually, I think she's more of a shotgun. A sawed off one," Hosea laughed._

_Lilly beamed at Hosea, cutting off a piece of meat. "_ _Thank you, Asal Ciallmhar."_

_"What's that mean?" Hosea asked Lilly._

_"Wise Ass." Lilly said with a devilish smile._

_All three men laughed. "Do I get one?" Dutch inquired humorously._

_"Hmm." Lilly pointed her knife at him. "I dub you Bríste Mhaisiúil. Fancy Pants."_

_The men laughed again. "Wait, Lilly, what about me?" Arthur asked with a pout._ _"That..."far all in" you called me?"_

_"You're Fear Álainn, of course. Mo Fear Álainn."_

_"But what does it mean?"_

_Lilly started cooking meat over the fire, smirking to herself. "I ain't tellin' ya."_

_"Why not?"_

_Lilly smiled at him knowingly. "Because I enjoy fuckin' with yer head," she said_.

_Arthur gaped at her while Hosea and Dutch laughed. Hosea was now sold on the little_ _smartass. Arthur and her continued to argue throughout all the cooking and throughout all the eating about what "far all in" meant and why Lilly wouldn't tell him. Hosea never thought he'd meet anyone who could put Arthur's stubbornness to the test. Lilly stood up and wiped her hands. "Well, gentlemen, I believe I should take my leave."_

_They watched her go for her jacket and Arthur stood up. "Lilly? We...I...where will you go?"_

_"Back to Blackwater. Or here. I commute between town and the forest," Lilly said casually. "Why?"_

_"Well," Arthur pivoted to look at the older men. They both nodded their heads, and Arthur looked back at Lilly. "We'd like you to come with us."_

_Lilly laughed, putting on her jacket. "Aye, roight. I dunna believe ya."_

_Arthur walked to her. "Why wouldn't you believe me?"_

_Lilly frowned, fiddling with her hands and staring down at them. "You're bein' serious?"_

_"Yes. Come with us."_

_"I can't."_

_"Why not? You got a grand plan here?"_

_Lilly frowned. "Ya saw what happened tah Craig, Arthur. And ya hadna known me ten minutes before ya got shot. I dunna wantah have no one else dyin' on my account."_

_Arthur walked to her, knelt down to her and grabbed her hands. "No one else is goin' to die, I promise."_

_Lilly stared at Arthur's face. "But why? Why would_ _ya want me tah come with you fellas?"_

_Arthur put a hand on the side of her head. "Because you're special to me."_

_Lilly flinched away from him. "Arthur, I canna do it. I canna come with ya!" She turned and ran towards the woods._

_"Lilly!" Arthur went chasing after her. "LILLEH!"_

* * *

Lilly and Hosea, after talking their way through the guards, traveled onward to Braithwaite Manor with a "guest" in the back of the wagon. He was apparently unhinged by the two giant wolves following him. Hosea took in the size of the place. "Lilly? How big is Darach ar an gCnoc?" Hosea said from the corner of his mouth.

"Heh heh heh, it's bigger than this...what did you say? Modest little homestead?" she whispered.

Hosea made a wheezy giggle. "I will certainly enjoy my retirement, then."

They both laughed and pulled up to the house. As they stopped, an elderly woman in a purple dress opened the front doors. "What you want?!" she shouted.

"Found somethin'," Hosea said. Both him and Lilly got out of the wagon. "Out on the hills, thought...thought maybe you was in the market for it."

"For what?"

"Liquor."

"I ain't in the market for what's already mine!"

"Way we see it, it's ours," Hosea argued, the wolves and Lilly trailing behind him. "What with us possessin' it, and I-I checked all over, for the life of me I couldn't see your name on it."

Lilly lowered her head and bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. "Hosea, be nice."

The woman put hands on her hips as men with guns came out from behind her. "Oh, relax, I ain't here to rob you," Hosea promised. "Though it seems that's easy enough."

The wolves stood at Lilly's sides and snapped their drooling jaws. Lilly rolled her eyes. "Oh please, boys. No need for dramatics. Relax."

The boys sat on their haunches and whined. "What do you sell that stuff for?" Hosea asked the lady.

"A dollar a bottle," the woman said angrily.

"Then give us fifty cents."

"It's already ours."

"Look on it as a reward, for findin' the property. Alternative is we go sell it someplace else."

"The alternative is you get shot," one of the men said.

The wolves raised their bottoms and stood, growling and snarling once more. Lilly chuckled. "I would advise against shootin' us, sir. One of you may get a good shot or two off, but do believe me when I say it will take more than a few bullets to bring my wolves down, and they are faster than you can blink," Lilly threatened with a devious smile.

Hosea raised his hands. "Now, who wants to get shot over a bottle or two of liquor?" Lilly's athair pointed out.

The blonde bearded man raised his shotgun but the old lady chuckled and held his gun. "Pay the man," she said, not taking her eyes off Lilly. The guy with the shotgun tossed Hosea some money. "So, you're the one with the wolves I've heard so much about," Catherine Braithwaite said. "My niece tells me you helped at her rally today."

Lilly blinked. "Oh, it was uh, no trouble, madam." Lilly felt very uncomfortable being stared at by this woman. It made her boys uneasy too.

"Gossip around here travels fast, but I heard about you before today."

"Who told you about me?" When the lady didn't answer, Lilly's heart stopped but her face remained cool and collected. She could only imagine who she knew, being rich and this far south. "Huh. Interestin'. Didn't know I was that popular."

"Yes. They seem quite interested in you, Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly eyed Hosea and cleared her throat. "Pleasure doin' business with you," Hosea said. "And, listen, we didn't take it, least not without orders from-"

"Oh, I know exactly who gave you your orders," Catherine interrupted. "Old Sheriff Gray. You know what? I don't want it. In fact, sir, now you can do me a favor...there's an extra ten bucks if you do. Drive the stuff into Rhodes, head over to the tavern run by Mr. Gray, and give the stuff out for free."

"Momma!" a second blonde bearded son said.

"Hush now! I believe they call that a promotional expense."

"Ha! As you wish, madam," Hosea said.

"You both come back sometime and tell me how you made out. Maybe we'll play a little cribbage. Oh, but Mrs. Morgan?"

Lilly inclined her head. "Yes, Mrs. Braithwaite?"

"You and I have something to discuss before you leave."

Lilly swallowed and looked at Hosea before smiling at Catherine. "Of course. Athair, perhaps you could get mo fhear álainn to help you in Rhodes while I talk to Mrs. Braithwaite?"

Hosea eyeballed her. "Iníon, are you sure you don't want me to wait?" _[Daughter]_

"Oh, I'll be fine, Athair. Would ya like one of the boys to go with you?"

"Sure."

"James, Athair garda. Faigh mo fear álainn má bhíonn trioblóid ann." _[James, guard Father. Get my beautiful man if there is trouble.]_

James went and stood by the wagon. Hosea laughed. "You taught them Irish?"

"Yep."

"Smart little devils, aren't they?"

Lilly giggled and looked at Brian as Hosea got in the wagon. "Brian, mise garda. Faigh mo fear álainn má bhíonn trioblóid ann." _[Brian, guard me. Get my beautiful man if there is trouble.]_

Brian barked and nuzzled Lilly's hand. "I'll be back for you later, Lilly!" Hosea shouted as he drove off with James running along with the horses.

Lilly waved at him before looking at Catherine. "Shall we?"

Mrs. Braithwaite nodded. "Boys, escort Mrs. Morgan and her wolf to my cribbage room. And make tea."

* * *

_Lilly ran through the woods being pursued by Arthur. He kept calling out for her but she continued on. She found a good climbing tree and scaled up it faster than ever and perched on a high branch. Arthur looked up at Lilly as he ran up to it._

_"Lilly, what's the matter?" he asked. "Why can't you come with us?"_

_"I just canna do it! I need tah stay!" Lilly shouted._

_"For what?"_

_"I'm...waitin' fer a friend tah come from Saint Denis."_

_"Alright, when will he be here?"_

_"I dunna know! Craig was...he was the one writin' tah him fer me."_

_"Oh." Arthur lowered his head. Lilly saw Dutch and Hosea close in. "Lilly, we can make arrangements to have the letters delivered to us."_

_"No. It's too dangerous."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because! It just is!"_

_"Lilly," Hosea said, standing next to Arthur. "We go by a pseudoname for our mail. Tacitus Kilgore."_

_"That's the dumbest name I've ever heard! No one has that name!"_

_Arthur laughed as he looked up at her. "It is, but it ain't our name."_

_Lilly crossed her arms. "I canna do it. I canna put you, Bríste Mhaisiúil or Asal Ciallmhar in danger!"_

_"Why would we be in danger, Lilly?" Arthur asked with irritation. "Talk to me!"_

_"Because everyone I care about ends up dead!" Lilly felt her lip tremble. She was not going to cry and let them see it. Lilly turned around on the branch and climbed higher to hide her silent tears. "Ya boys will die too if I stay near ya. Now just go. I had a lovely time with yas, but ya need tah go."_ _Lilly heard Arthur climbing up and she jumped over to the next tree. "No, Arthur!"_

_Arthur got higher. "Lilly! Be reasonable!" He grunted as he got to the branch Lilly was on previously._

_Lilly stared at him. He still had no shirt on. "Why do ya insist on chasin' me half naked?! Yer silly! Yer a silly man, Arthur Morgan!"_

_Arthur cackled. "Yes I am. Now..." Arthur got closer to the other tree. "Please, let's talk about this on the ground."_

_"No!_ _When a woman says no, she means no! Please leave or I'll hit ya again and knock yer arse out!"_

_Lilly dared a glance at Arthur who looked hurt. "Don't you want to come with me?"_

_"No, I don't," Lilly said. She had to lie. If she lied, maybe he'd go. "I don't like ya that much! In fact, I hate ya! Now get outta here!"_

_Arthur frowned, getting ready to jump to her tree. "You're a bad liar, Lilly."_

_"How would you know?" Lilly pulled out a knife. "Ya jump over here and I'll slice ya!"_

_Arthur shook his head. "No you won't."_

_This man was the most beautifully stubborn creature on the planet. Lilly was both fascinated and irritated. With a narrowing of her eyes, though, her resolve strengthened. "I will, Arthur."_

_He jumped to the next tree and she slashed at his arm. It cut him and he almost lost his grip. "Lilly! Ouch!"_

_Lilly felt horrible but she didn't show her guilt. "I warned you, ya deaf bastard!"_

_Arthur inched closer. "Lilly, please."_

_Lilly closed in and held the knife to his throat. "I will not say it again, Mr. Morgan," she said through clenched teeth. "Go. Away. Now."_

_Arthur narrowed his light blue eyes at her. "Lillian. It is Lillian, ain't it?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Lillian, if you're goin' to slice my throat open then do it. I'm not leavin' until you agree to come with us."_

_"Then yer no better than the men who kidnapped me today."_

_Arthur looked shocked. "I..." he sighed and backed off. "You have a point."_

_Lilly frowned and put her knife away. "Goodbye, Arthur."_

_"Wait..."_

_"What?"_

_"If you change your mind, meet us at the train station tomorrow morning at 8. That's when we're leavin' for Illinois."_

_Lilly looked at him with the saddest eyes. "I won't change my mind."_

_"Then see us off?"_

_Lilly huffed. "I will consider it."_

_Arthur blinked. "I still have your watch."_

_"I told you to keep it. Somethin' to remember me by."_

_"Then..." Arthur reached into his pocket and handed her the gold watch. "Take this to remember me by."_

_Lilly clung to it. "I will."_

_Arthur pat her head. "Bye, Lilly." When he climbed down the tree and left with Hosea and Dutch, she climbed down, sunk against the tree and silently cried._

* * *

"Jesus! All this over a few bottles of booze?!" Arthur asked as he drove the wagon away from the fight.

"I reckon it's more they don't want another gang on their patch," Hosea replied. He snapped the reins to keep the horses going faster. Soon enough, Arthur told him to get off the road and Hosea turned off the trail. He drove the wagon by some old burnt down buildings with only the bases remaining. "Alright, we're good."

"Yeah...remind me never to take up a career in...what was it?"

"Advertising."

"Yeah. Do you think that woman set us up?" Arthur asked Hosea.

"No, I don't think so," Hosea responded assuredly. "Maybe. This place is odd."

Arthur put his regular hat back on and dusted off his red union shirt, looking behind him. "Yeah, I keep seein' those fellers."

"Some local militia. Clearly not too happy to have some new competition." Arthur nodded and looked away. "I'll go visit old Ma Braithwaite, see what's what."

"Why?"

"We been makin' money. The chest is fillin' up again, slowly but surely. Part of me thinks we just get ourselves good and lost, but we still need a lot more money before that can happen. So, for now, let me go give old Mrs. Braithwaite some of this moonshine as, well," they both looked back at the near empty wagon. "Let's call it a peace offerin'. Besides that, I need to go pick up Lilly anyway."

Arthur's mouth went agape and he leaned back, looking at Hosea incredulously. "Please explain to me why you left my god damn wife with that Braithwaite woman!" Arthur snapped at Hosea.

"Oh she's fine, Arthur. She's got Brian with her," Hosea said, trying to calm him down. "They were just goin' to talk."

"That god damn woman! Doesn't she care about the baby?!" Arthur growled and clenched his fists.

Hosea chuckled. "Of course she cares, but you know how she is. Can't tell Lilly to do nothin' she doesn't want to do and she's as stubborn as you are, if not more."

"Lilly needs to be more considerate of the baby just the same! And me! I'm her god damn husband!"

"Yes, you are, Arthur. Yet you haven't been actin' like that lately, have you?" Hosea pointed out.

"We had a fight! She...she brought up...ah, I can't be bothered." Arthur got out of the wagon. "Just go get my wife, please."

"You ain't comin' with?"

"You think she's the only one in the dog house? I am too. And after what she said to me today at that rally, I ain't talkin' to her!"

"Shut up, get back in this wagon, and let's go talk to your wife! My daughter! Now, you stubborn jackass!" Hosea snapped.

Arthur grunted. "Fiiine..." He got back up into the wagon. The two rode in silence back to the Braithwaites. Arthur looked down at James who was panting as he jogged. Arthur told him to get in the wagon and when he did, the wooden frame bounced with a creak.

Arthur and Hosea laughed. "My God, James, what is Lilly feedin' you? Dragons?" Hosea asked rhetorically.

James barked and the men laughed again. As they neared the house, Arthur leaned back and pat James. "Go find Lilly."

James jumped down and ran toward the house. Hosea parked and the men jumped down. Lilly came out with Brian and Mrs. Braithwaite. James greeted Lilly with a lick to her hands and Lilly giggled loudly. She looked at Catherine and tipped her hat. "Well, madam, it was lovely chattin' with you. And thank you for the tea and biscuits."

"Biscuits?"

Lilly smacked herself. "Sorry, I meant cookies. We call 'em biscuits in Ireland. England, too."

"I see. Yes, feel free to stop by for some more cribbage, Mrs. Morgan."

Arthur could tell there was some tension and as Lilly walked toward him, he saw her face was tight with restrained fury.

"Mrs. Braithwaite, we got most of the liquor. I reckoned you'd like the rest, so we brought it right over," Hosea said in a delighted voice.

"How thoughtful," Catherine said with what Arthur knew was a hint if sarcasm. "Boys, unload the liquor," she told her sons and they immediately went to do her bidding.

Arthur cleared his throat and addressed his wife. "Bean chéile, is everythin' okay?"

Lilly glanced at him, her expression of anger still present. "Yes, fear céile," she said coldly before walking past him to the wagon.

They were allowed to take the wagon back as long as they returned it, which Hosea promised profusely that they would. The ride back to camp was yet another silent one and when they got home, Lilly immediately went to the tent. Apparently something bad happened at the house that day and as much as Arthur wanted to talk to her about it, he had a feeling it wouldn't get him anywhere. Instead, he went to go speak to Dutch.

* * *

_It was early in the morning when Lilly's awareness peaked over her sleepiness. She cried herself to sleep under the tree shortly after the three men left. She hated being alone but it was necessary. She wasn't exactly a team player. Lilly grasped the watch in her hand. "Oh Arthur...I wish I could come with you," she said to herself._

_"What's stopping ya?" a woman's voice asked._

_Lilly looked around and saw a large raven. She stood up with a gasp. "Hello?" she said, looking around._

_"I am here, me child."_

_Lilly slowly glanced at the bird. "Are ya talkin' tah me?"_

_"Yes," the raven said._

_Lilly slumped to the ground. "I musta really knockered me head. A bird is talkin' tah me."_

_The raven made a cawing sort of laugh. "Ya didna knocker yer head enough fer that, Lilly. Now," The bird jumped down from the tree branch and waddled its way to Lilly. "What's stopping ya from going with those men?"_

_"Papa's men. They won't stop coming and they will kill anyone I'm with."_

_"People die all the time, as ya know, Lilly. Do ya wantah die alone? Because unless ya go with 'em, ya will die alone."_

_Lilly sniffled. "How do ya know that?"_

_The bird pecked at her wing. "I know lotsa things, me child. In fact, I know everythin'. What is, what was, what will be."_

_"Sounds borin'," Lilly giggled._

_"Aye, that it is. But I do make a game of it from time to time. It gets hard bein' 'round fer eternity without somethin' tah amuse one's self with."_

_Lilly giggled again. "I wantah go with but I canna stand tah see anyone I care about die."_

_"Lilly, if ya keep runnin' scared from life, ya wilna enjoy yer life. Yer seven, fer gosh sakes. Go live yer life! Be happy with 'em! And I know Arthur will make ya very happy one day."_

_"What do ya mean?"_

_"Ya will see, child. Now go. Yer gonna be late! Now wake up!"_

_Lilly blinked. "But I am awake!"_

_The bird cawed loudly in her face. "WAKE UP!"_

_Lilly startled herself with a yelp as she woke. What kind of dream was that? Lilly stood up and looked at the run rising. She sighed and walked toward the direction of her makeshift camp until a red horse bounded in front of her._

_"Woa! Who are you?!" she asked. The horse neighed and nudged Lilly's shoulder. It made her giggle. She pat the horse and suddenly, the horse chomped the watch and ran off. "Hey! That's mine!"_

_Lilly chased after the horse who was trotting around her in circles before storming off eastward. Lilly growled and chased after the horse. It kept itself in Lilly's sights as it galloped toward the valley. Lilly surprisingly kept up. She discovered her newfound super strength and stamina yesterday and while she was confused by it, she was now grateful. But every time she got close to the horse, it increased speed and raced off. Eventually the horse dropped the watch and ran off. Lilly cursed in Gaeilge and picked up the watch. It was covered in frothy drool. Yuck! She wiped it with her jacket and looked around. She was near the train station and she saw Arthur from a short distance. He got on the train and she saw him sit at one of the windows. He didn't seem happy and Lilly groaned. Not the send off she would have preferred, but still it was a send off._

_Lilly got closer and waved. He didn't see her. Lilly ran closer and shouted his name. "Fear Álainn! Hey!"_

_Arthur finally noticed her and gave her a sad smile with a brief wave. Dutch and Hosea sat down with him and they waved at her too. Lilly walked on the platform and Arthur opened his window. "Hey kid, you made it."_

_"I did. I wanted to say goodbye," Lilly said. No she didn't. She wanted so badly to leave with them._

_"Well...goodbye, Miss O'Callaghan," Arthur said glumly before sitting back in his seat. His head bowed down._

_Hosea opened his window. "See you around, kid!" he smiled._

_"Hope to meet you again some time, Miss Lilly!" Dutch shouted._

_Lilly waved and the train started going away. Lilly ran to the end of the platform waving but Arthur didn't look at her. He looked so sad. She stopped at the end and frowned. Seeing the train go broke her heart and she suddenly burst into tears. She changed her mind and ran after it. "Wait! Wait!" she shouted but she couldn't keep up. She missed her chance and cried more from the realization. Lilly was going to die alone. Lilly heard a horse neigh and saw the red horse approach her. The young child giggled happily with a devilish smile._

* * *

_The three men were the only ones in that particular passenger car._ _"I'm sorry Lilly didn't come with, Arthur," Dutch said sadly. "She seems like a good kid."_

_"Yeah. I'll miss her," Hosea said with a frown. "You could tell she was special."_

_Arthur stared down at the O'Callaghan watch, stroking the crest with a finger. "What does Fidus Et Audax mean?" he asked._

_"Faithful and bold," Dutch said. "Why?"_

_"It's her family motto."_

_"Huh. Well, she certainly is bold. And..." Dutch looked out the window. "Well well, looks like someone decided to be faithful too!"_

_Arthur looked up and outside. Lilly was on a red horse running to them. Arthur!" she shouted. "Arthur! I'm sorry! I wanna come with!"_

_Arthur smiled broadly, pocketed the watch, and ran back to the other car. He opened the door and stood on the metal couplings as Lilly drew near. He held out his arms. "Come on, baby girl, I got you!"_

_Lilly got closer and closer. She smiled at him and balanced on her feet in a crouched position. As she leaped, Arthur was surprised at how far she got and he caught Lilly in his arms. He held onto her tight and smiled into her hair. "I'm sorry Arthur! I saw the train go and I just couldna let ya leave me!"_

_Arthur laughed and brought her into the car, still holding her. "I'm so glad you changed your mind._ _Don't leave me again, kid."_

_"Never! Never never never!"_

_Arthur smiled at Dutch and Hosea. They looked happy as well. Arthur sat her down on the seat and scooted next to her. "Here." He pulled out her watch. "Now you can have it back."_

_"Hmm. I suppose that's fair." Lilly handed him the broken gold watch. "Are ya gonna get it fixed?"_

_Arthur gave her back the O'Callaghan heirloom and chuckled. "No. It'll be a nice souvenir." All four of them laughed at the joke._

* * *

Arthur pulled out the customized watch and sighed, unhappy with the situation between him and Lilly. He fingered it before putting it back in his shirt pocket, walking over to their tent. He hesitated before walking in.


	35. The Broken Oath

Lilly was sitting on the bed, her back to the entrance when she heard someone walk in.

"Lillian," she heard Arthur say.

"Arthur," she spoke blankly.

The pups whined at both of them. "They don't like us fightin'," Arthur stated.

"No, they do not, but they're only animals."

"Heh heh heh, I think we both know they ain't just animals."

Lilly turned around and narrowed her eyes at Arthur, removing herself from the bed and walking to a dresser. "What are they, then? Freaks of nature?" she asked bitterly.

She didn't feel mad at Arthur for a while now, but now she was angry at him again just from looking at him. What he'd said that day really played on her biggest insecurity and Lilly just couldn't forgive him for ignoring her no matter how much she wanted to. Not yet, anyway. Arthur scoffed. "You still on about that?"

Lilly stopped rummaging through the drawers, slowly turned and eyeballed him, her mouth slightly open and her lower jaw jutted forward. The audacity of his callousness was overwhelmingly nerve-wracking. She grabbed a random object from the dresser and threw it at him. He dodged it but it broke the vanity table mirror behind him. "Am I still on about that?!" she shouted. "Yes! I am still on about that, ya fuckin' gobshite!" The pups ran out of the tent.

"Oh don't you play the martyr here, Lillian!" Arthur shouted back. "You didn't say anythin' better to me!"

"All I said was for ya tah stop treatin' me like...well, ya know what I said!"

"You still knew how I'd react!"

"I wasna tryin' tah hurt ya!"

Arthur huffed. "It hurt me all the same!"

"I know! But what you said? Oh, ya said it tah get back at me! And I would forgive ya fer it if ya hadna been ignorin' me this whole bloody time!"

Arthur closed in on her, his face red from anger. "And you think I can forgive you?!"

"Of course not! I shouldna said it and I am sorry, but ya think ya can take me fer granted like that and get away with it now that I'm yer god damn wife!" Lilly started to shake, her fists clenched and the muscles in her face tightened.

"I don't take you for granted!"

"Like hell ya don't! Like with our fight in Blackwater, ya ignored me and ya didna appreciate what we had until I went missin'!"

"Oh, you think I don't appreciate us?" Arthur shoved her into the dresser and pressed his body against her. "I am goin' to show you exactly how much I appreciate you, you loud mouthed little shit!"

"Fuckin' pigheaded bastard!"

"Stupid, ungrateful trollop!"

"God damn arse faced shite!"

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you too!" Arthur and Lilly stared each other down, both breathing laboriously from their fighting. In a matter of moments they engaged in a frenzied and heated kiss. Arthur gripped her loose hair tightly in one hand as the other gripped the back of Lilly's shirt, squishing her to his chest. In an abrupt series of swift movements, Arthur swirled her around, bent her over the dresser and pulled down her pants to the knees. Lilly listened to him fumbling around with his belt buckle. "Do you need help?" she snapped.

"Shut up!"

Lilly turned around and pushed a finger to his chest. "Don't ya take that tone with me, ya piece of shite!"

Arthur grasped her hand and pinned it to the dresser, making her gasp in surprise. "Turn the fuck around, Lillian!"

"Make me!"

Arthur tilted his head with flaring nostrils and angry eyes before grabbing her waist and twisting her around. Arthur slammed Lilly's chest down and shoved his cock into her. Lilly whimpered in pain and pleasure as he forcefully plunged into her continually. He yanked her up by the hair, bit down hard on her neck and growled every time he went inside her, making her yelp in shock. "You're gonna hate sittin' down after I'm done with you, Lillian Rose Morgan."

Lilly wasn't sure if she was turned on or a little peeved at Arthur's sudden dominance over her. Maybe it was both, but her thoughts on the issue evaporated when his thrust became more powerful and rapid as did the sounds emanating from his throat. The force of the pleasure made Lilly's eyes roll up into her head and the muscles of her jaw relax, making her mouth hang open. Her throat and lungs, however, were overworking themselves from the noises and loud breaths being forced from her body. Lilly couldn't do much else, she was so immobilized by the ferocity of Arthur's very welcome assault. His teeth were still on the flesh of her neck and he kept biting her, his hand pulling hard on Lilly's hair. The mixed physical sensations made her orgasm and she covered her mouth to muffle her screams of pleasure.

He chuckled gruffly. "Did somebody miss me?" he asked.

"Yes..." she breathed rapidly.

"Good."

He yanked her around, lifted her on the dresser, pulled her pants and boots off, and plunged into her again. Lilly held onto him as he gripped her shirt and hair once more, resuming his previous motions inside of her. Lilly's legs went around him and Arthur and Lilly continued to grunt, groan, moan, cry out, and speak jibberish with each stroke. Lilly suddenly came again and the spasms inside her made her climax intensely amplified. Arthur's grunts got louder and louder until he came inside her and groaned out from it. Both had ragged breaths and chests heaved against the other. Arthur instantly pulled away and buckled his pants and belt back up without looking at her.

Lilly thought this was strange and bent down to pick her pants up. "That was amazin', Arthur."

"Yes it was," he said with controlled anger. "But I'm still furious with you."

Lilly buttoned her pants up and scoffed at him. "So...wait, what was all that, then?"

Arthur began to tuck his blue shirt into the waistband of his pants. "To show that I appreciate you, that's all."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "So you fucked me to prove a point?!"

"Yes." He glared at her. "What did you think it was?"

"Make-up sex!"

Arthur shook his head and chortled. "You read that wrong."

He turned to leave but Lilly yanked him around. "We just had sex and you're leavin'?!"

"Yep." Lilly punched him hard in the face and his body jerked to the side as he shut his eyes, then shook his head and stared at her in disbelief. "What the hell was that for?" he shouted, rubbing his obviously sore jaw and cheek.

"Náire ort! Conas is féidir leat caitheamh liom mar fraochÚn?" _[Shame on you! How can you treat me as a whore?]_

Arthur blinked. "I ain't treatin' you like a whore."

Lilly got in his face. Now it was her turn to be furious. "Ya called me the one thing I am the most insecure about, ya ignored me fer almost two weeks, then ya have the nerve tah have sex with me just tah prove a point? Ya did the exact opposite of appreciatin' me!"

Arthur looked clueless. "What do you mean?"

Lilly's voice went low as she chose her next words deliberately. "Níor thug tú mo onóir dom. Bhris tú ár mionn." _[You didn't honor me. You broke our oath.]_

Based on the expression of humor on Arthur's face, he wasn't taking it seriously. "Mar má tá tú i gcónaí ag déanamh onóir dom? Is minic a bhriseann tú an mhionn agus ní deirim aon rud riamh!" _[As if you are always honoring me? You often break the oath and I never say anything!]_

"Not this badly and never on purpose!" Lilly shouted.

* * *

The whole gang stared at the Morgan tent as Arthur and Lilly's voices got louder and louder. Sean sighed as he handed Karen his flask of whiskey. "Jesus, those two."

Karen took a swig. "I know."

"Ugh! Yer a bastard!" they heard Lilly shout.

"And you're a bitch!" Arthur shouted back.

Sean giggled uncomfortably. "Hey Abigail, I think you need to talk to Arthur."

Abigail arched a brow as she glanced at Sean. "Why?"

"Didn't ya say somethin' about Lilly havin' mood swings? Do ya think Arthur understands any of that?"

Abigail sighed. "You have a point."

"Mood swings?" Bill asked. "I thought this was Lilly's regular temper."

"No, it's not. This is much worse. Her and Arthur haven't spoken in almost two weeks. Where the hell have you been, Bill?" Sean asked humorously.

"Scopin' out a bank job."

"Oh really? Huh. Good on ya, mate."

A crash was heard from the tent. "I've heard enough outta ya, Morgan! Yer gonna be lucky if I ever let ya back into me bed!" Lilly yelled.

"As if I want to now! Not with the way you're actin'!" Arthur yelled back.

"Get out!"

"You know what? No! I think I'll stay now!"

"GET OUT!"

They heard Arthur laugh. "Are you stupid?! You know that don't work on me!"

"Oh boy," Javier said with a sigh. "They really hate each other, don't they?"

"No, this is love," Ditch laughed. "The whole basis of their relationship is to drive each other nuts. Been like that since day one."

"Really?" Micah laughed. "For fifteen years?"

"Oh yes," Dutch said.

"Get out of the tent!" Lilly belted.

"Make me!" Arthur dared.

"Good grief," Charles said, pinching his brow. "And you approve of this relationship?"

"Name any other man that can go toe to toe with Lilly or any other woman that can fight tooth and nail with Arthur. Charles, do you think after this love tiff is over, you and Arthur could-"

Arthur came stumbling out of the tent. "Don't you kick me out of our tent, Lillian!" He stormed back in. "I live here too, you god damn crazy woman!"

"Yer already sleepin' somewhere else, Arthur!" Lilly snapped. "Ya havena slept in here fer almost two weeks!"

"That was my choice! Now I'm stayin' in here just to piss you off!"

"Ya put one finger on that bed, I'll gut ya!"

"Oh, that's a good way to treat the father of your child! Threaten to kill him!" A chair came flying out of the tent and broke. Arthur laughed. "Now ya done it! Congratulations, honey! You broke a god damn chair!"

John sighed. "You know, not even Abigail and I fight this bad. I kinda feel bad for Arthur."

Abigail smacked John's shoulder lightly. "Why Arthur?"

John smiled. "Mood swings. He don't have a damn clue. I do, though. Yours were awful."

"Shut up, John."

Hosea sighed. "I think we need to go break it up."

"Why?" A lot of the group members asked.

"It's entertaining!" Micah said with a laugh.

Another piece of furniture came flying out. "Stop throwin' things! You'll over exert yourself!" they heard Arthur again.

"I'm practicin' to throw ya out on yer arse, ya fat, stupid Sasanach!" _[Englishman!]_

"I'm fat? Ha! Says the pregnant lady!"

"I'm not fat! I barely got a baby bump!"

"Wait, barely? Are you startin' to show?"

"YES, NOT THAT YOU WOULD'A NOTICED! Hey! Get yer stinkin' paws off me!"

"Stop it and let me feel the baby bump!" Arthur laughed.

"Fuck off, ya eejit!"

"Because I don't think all this stress is good for the baby," Hosea explained. "This can't be good for her nerves, either."

"Ha. Girl is deadlier than anythin' but she has anxiety problems?" Micah observed. "What made her like that?"

"None of us know the half of it," Dutch sighed. "You do have a point, Hosea. Come on." The two men ambled on over.

"I hate ya, Arthur! I wish I never married ya!" Lilly belted out.

"Oh, you don't mean that, sweet pea!" Arthur said sarcastically. "Then we'd have a bastard child and then you'd be "dishonored" in Ireland, Countess of Moycullen!"

"Stop tryin' tah touch me stomach!"

"But I wanna feel my kid!"

"Ya canna feel the baby yet!"

"Would you two quit your god damn marital bickerin'?" Dutch shouted. "You got a job to go do, Arthur!"

Arthur poked his head out. He had blood on his lip. "What is it?" he groaned.

"I think you should pay Mr. Trelawny a visit and find out exactly what he knows and who he spoke to."

"With the bounty hunters?"

"Yes." Dutch lit up a cigar. "Take Charles with you. The sight of the pair of you would make a statue sing out its secrets."

Arthur grumbled. "Fiiine. Gimme a second." Arthur poked his head back in.

* * *

"We ain't done with this, Lilly." Arthur pointed at her before leaving the tent.

Lilly huffed, crossed her arms, and sat down on the bed. "Arsehole," she muttered to herself. "Such a feckin' arsehole."

"Lilly?" Hosea called. "Let's talk."

* * *

"What are we doin'?" Charles asked Arthur.

"Dutch wants us to have a...talk with Trelawny. About these bounty hunters that are comin' for us. Hopin' he can tell us who they are or where they're comin' from," Arthur explained as they rode along.

"Okay. And you're deputies now?"

"Heh heh, somethin' like that. Soon as we laid eyes on that fool of a sheriff who runs that town, I knew Dutch was gonna play him like a fiddle."

"On the run from one bunch of lawmen, workin' for another. Interestin'."

"Hidin' in plain sight", Dutch calls it," Arthur said, chuckling in a low tone.

"Hmm. So...are you and Lilly doin' okay?"

Arthur sighed. "Not really. We had a pretty bad fight."

"I see. Want to talk about it?"

"I guess. I don't even remember how it started, but she brought up Eliza and Isaac, so I...sorta called her a freak of nature," Arthur said regretfully. "I only meant that she has...you know, "abilities", but the words I used were the wrong ones."

"Damn."

"I know. I feel bad about it, but god dammit, she knows how I am about my son and Eliza."

"Hmm," Charles said. "Interestin'."

"What?" Arthur scrunched his brow.

"Well, you know Lilly's got a lot of past trauma, or we can assume she does."

"She does. Lilly even had a night terror over in Ireland, but don't tell anyone. She'll get embarassed," he said, sighing in frustration.

"I won't. But...don't you think if you set an example of movin' past what happened to Isaac and Eliza, she could move past her own troubles?"

Arthur slowed his horse to a stop and Charles did as well. "I never thought about it that way," Arthur said. "It's really hard to talk abo-oh, now I remember what started the fight. She had a dream and when I asked her about it, she wouldn't tell me, so I got mad. I came back and we argued about the cougar and how she needs to watch out for herself and the baby. I mean, she can obviously handle herself and I...didn't."

Charles chuckled. "You feel like you can't protect her as a man should. Is that why you got mad?"

Arthur hadn't considered that either, not that he really thought about it. "You know, I think you may be right. Or at least right about part of it." There was something else nagging at him about it. "The other part...was because she died."

"Because you were helpless to prevent it."

"Mmhmm."

"Well, if she hadn't died, do you think you two would be havin' a baby now? Because somethin' tells me her infertility was healed when she came back to life."

Arthur eyed Charles thoughtfully. "Yes, we both thought that too. But...I still broke my oath."

"Your oath?"

* * *

_22-year-old Arthur, wearing his gunslinger outfit, was tending to a cut to Lilly's arm. He eyed the red headed girl in a ponytail, a black chemise shirt, and tan knee length shorts with a chastising look. "You need to be more careful with your knives, sweetheart," Arthur said._

_Lilly sighed. "I'm allowed a fuck up every once in a while, ain't I?"_

_Arthur chuckled. "You and your mouth. Yes, you are. But Lilly, I get worried." She'd only been with them a couple of weeks and she'd already integrated herself well within the group. "This might need stitches. I can go get Susan to-"_

_Lilly pulled out a needle and thread kit from her side bag. "Nope, I got it."_

_Arthur blinked. "You can stitch yourself up?"_

_"I done it before," she said with an eye roll. "I been on my own for a while now. Had to learn to take care of myself."_

_"But that's...that's somethin'," he laughed. Lilly pulled out a small bottle of whiskey and drank it. "Woa woa woa, you shouldn't be drinkin'! You're seven!"_

_"It's for the pain." Lilly threaded the needle, lit a match, held the flame to the tip, and blew out the match. She poked her skin and hissed as she pushed it through and began to stitch. "Son of a bitch. Just keep talkin' so I don't feel it as much."_

_Arthur tilted his head. "Why'd you burn it?"_

_"A hot knife cuts through butter easier than a cold one, and I heard it helps prevent infections. Don't ask me why, I ain't got a clue."_

_Arthur chuckled as he watched her work. "You're an amazin' kid."_

_"Ah, stop. People keep, ouch, tellin' me that. It's gonna go to me bloomin' head soon. I don't like havin' an ego especially, owie, if it's undeserved."_

_Arthur lifted her chin. "It is deserved. I ain't met any young kid, let alone a girl, so...capable, resourceful, and lethal as you are."_

_Lilly blushed. "I...thank you, Arthur."_

_He removed his finger and watched her continue. "How did you learn all these things?"_

_Lilly paused mid pull, then she looked at him with a serious face. "I'm a natural, what can, oooof, I say?"_

_Arthur scoffed in disbelief. "No one taught you these things?"_

_"...I was taught, yes."_

_"By who?"_

_"No one," she said with a smirk. Lilly went back to stitching. "I need, oowww, to concentrate."_

_"But didn't you want me to talk?"_

_"Yes, just not about things like that. They're bad, grr, this hurts...they're bad subjects."_

_"Okay, but, how am I supposed to make sure not to accidentally mention somethin'?"_

_"You're a smart man." Lilly cut the thread with her teeth and put the needle back in the kit before finishing off her stitch job. "You'll figure it out."_

_Arthur laughed. "I ain't that smart."_

_Lilly put a hand to his cheek. "Mo Fear Álainn, you are smarter than you know."_

_Arthur smiled and pat her hand. "Thanks."_

_"I got an idea," she cleared her throat and removed her hand. "I'd like to make a deal."_

_"Okay? Shoot."_

_Lilly put the needle and thread kit away then giggled. "Oh, a little drunky wunky. Ahem. You protect me, I protect you. You have my back, I have yours. And we will never dishonor each other._ _Well, not severely, at least. We fight too much to hold that part up seriously."_

_Arthur almost giggled._ _"Alright, deal. Do we shake on it?"_

_Lilly squinted her eyes and grinned. "I think an oath would be more sufficient."_

_"An oath?" Arthur made a playful face. "That's some serious shit."_

_"Yes it is. Are you okay with enterin' an oath with me?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Okay." Lilly got to the floor on her knees. "Come on."_

_Arthur sat on his knees. Lilly lifted a leg and placed an arm on her knee, bowing her head. When Arthur didn't do the same, she looked at him. "Ahem."_

_"Oh! Sorry," he chuckled and mirrored Lilly's position._

_Lilly bowed her head once more. "Repeat after me."_

* * *

Arthur took off his hat and scratched his scalp. "When she was a kid, we both made an oath to one another. To protect one another, always have each other's backs, and to...never dishonor each other so bad that it hurts one or both of us. I believe I broke that oath today, too." He wasn't one to get real deep on things, although he was capable of doing it. Arthur was used to people thinking he was only a big dumb brute, so he ended up believing it himself. But all this thinking was really opening up issues he never really knew were there. Being unable to keep his wife safe after so many years of guarding her was a big deal, he realized. "I fucked up, Charles."

"Did she mention it?"

"Yes."

"Can you fix it?"

"I damn well better fix it. Thank you Charles, for uh, helpin' me see my grievous error. I will think of a way to rectify it."

"You're welcome," Charles said with a smile. "You're not as dumb as people think you are."

"Ah, I don't know about that," Arthur snickered, fiddling with his hat.

"I don't think Lilly could love a dumb guy."

Arthur sighed. "Maybe, but she loves me anyway."

They resumed their horses. "So, other than that, spirits seem good. In the new camp, I mean."

* * *

Lilly was out riding. She needed some time to think about what Hosea and her talked about. Did she make the right choice telling him about what Catherine Braithwaite said to her? As Lilly got near Heartland Overflow, she saw that silly photographer Albert Mason with his camera set up. Huh. What was he taking pictures of now?

"Damn blasted thing," Lilly heard the man say.

Lilly got off Doc and approached Mr. Mason. "Hey there, Mr. Mason!" she greeted him.

The man practically jumped out of his skin. "Ha! Mrs. Morgan."

"How are ya, sir?"

"Indigestible, apparently. Aside from that, very well," he said, looking into his camera.

"So, how's your photography endeavor goin'?"

"Well, I'm in God's country, and I am his faithful servant. Although perhaps not his most talented one." He bent down to grab binoculars and handed it to Lilly. "I have been trying to capture the grace of the wild horses here for weeks. Only the buggers can't stand me."

Lilly looked through them and smiled. "Ooooh. I think...that one is ah, uh...hmm...Arthur would be better at this than me."

"Silver dapple pinto. Speaking of, where is your husband?"

"Damned if I know, perhaps gallivantin' somewhere, doin' God knows what. I don't care."

"You don't?"

Lilly lowered the binoculars and looked at him. "We haven't spoken for two weeks, then when we finally spoke this morning, it turned into yet another fight."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Ah, we fight a lot and we always find our way back, but we just ain't ready for it right now. I'm not, anyway. He dishonored me big time." Lilly looked through the binoculars again at the rare color patterned horse. "Such a pretty horse." She handed Albert the binoculars and he looked through them.

"I know. Beautiful. Won't come anywhere near me of course. He can smell my stupidity. But what do you mean he dishonored you?"

Lilly laughed. "I don't know you well enough to tell you that." She grinned at him knowingly.

It took Albert a few moments before his cheeks turned a profusely red color. "Oh my."

"Yes. Now you get it."

"Well, did he mean to...dishonor you?"

"He doesn't see it that way. He saw it as a means to prove he...appreciates me," she said, handing Albert back the binoculars. "And he...heh heh heh, he made a very strong argument in that regard."

"Mrs Morgan, if I may be so frank, what was the fight about?"

"He got mad because I wouldn't tell him a secret."

"What secret?"

"My secret. I have secrets. I'm known for havin' plenty of 'em and he knows not to pry but now that I'm his wife, I think he feels I should tell him everythin'."

"You don't think you should?" Albert asked in a confused tone.

"...It's not a matter of if I should, it's a matter of if I can."

"...Oh. I see."

Lilly shook her head to keep the bad memories from focusing in on her awareness. "Now, as for those horses, I can coax 'em over here for ya if you'd like that."

"Hmm, that'll help...can you be bothered? I feel like such a blunderer."

"I wasn't really goin' anywhere. This'll be fun," she giggled, backing away enthusiastically. "I'll be back, just get your camera ready!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lilly got on her horse and with a click of her tongue, Dubh Sainglenn got to moving. As she got closer, she took a wide berth to the left. She'd have to get around and flank them. She got close enough and started shouting...gently. They got spooked and started trotting away in the direction of Mr. Mason. She followed them past the trees on the hill they'd been grazing on. They surprisingly kept in line the whole time.

"Strange," she said. "Alright, come on. H'yah!" Doc started trotting faster and so did the others. They went by a small dirt cliff and once they reached the water's edge, Lilly really shouted. "GO!"

The horses ran off towards Mr. Mason and Lilly saw a flash from his camera as the horses ran by. Haha, yep. A job well done. Lilly galloped back to Mr. Mason with a smile.

"Mrs. Morgan!" the man yelled in delight. "You are a genius!"

Lilly got off her horse and laughed, walking over to Albert. "Aww shucks, thanks. You're too kind."

"Hmm hmm."

"So, how are the photos comin'? Are they good?"

"Oh! Amazing! Here!" He bent down to his bag. "I have," he grabbed a photo and stood up straight to show Lilly, "a print of the wolves. Before they tried to eat us." He handed her the photo and Lilly gasped. "It's for you and your husband."

"Wow. This...this is an amazing photo! You really are an artist of God, Mr. Mason!"

"Hahaha, well, that is the best compliment I could ask for. Oh, I almost forgot! I have a print of you and Mr. Morgan with Brian and James..." He dug in his bag and handed that to Lilly as well.

Lilly chuckled and looked at the picture. Her and Arthur looked so happy together and it made her smile. "Are you sure we can have it? My husband and I?"

"Oh of course. It is the least I can do for helping me out time and time again."

Lilly smiled and tipped her hat. "Well, thank you. I'll see ya around, you take care, Mr. Mason," she said, pocketing the photos in her satchel.

"Mrs. Morgan?"

"Yes?"

Mr. Mason hesitated for a moment before grasping her hands in his. "I hope I am not being too forward, but your secrets shouldn't be kept bottled up. You would feel better if you talked about them to someone, and the bond between man and wife is a good way to...accomplish that."

"What are you sayin'?"

"I'm saying you don't have to carry the burden of secrets on your own. I'm sure Mr. Morgan would gladly help you carry it. I mean, what is stopping you?"

Lilly frowned. Perhaps he was right. She wish she could talk about these things, but every time she wanted to, the emotions behind them would threaten to swallow her whole. Lilly realized what one of those emotions were. "Fear, Mr. Mason. Fear of...judgment. And...perhaps shame, too."

Mason let go of her hands and sighed. "For better or worse, Mrs. Morgan. You know that and he does too."

* * *

When Lilly got back, she saw Trelawny was in the camp. "Ah, Lilly!" he said.

Lilly approached him and saw he was kind of beaten up. "Uh oh. What happened to you?"

Trelawny sighed. "Bounty hunters. They kidnapped me and tried to make me give you all up, but I would not. Arthur and Charles came to my rescue, however."

"Hmm, did they?" Lilly asked, her arms crossed. "Well, I'm happy they did."

"Thank you, my lady."

Lilly laughed, tipped her hat and turned to see Arthur riding in with the boys. Shit. She didn't want to deal with that now. Not after her talk with Mr. Mason. She wasn't ready for that yet. She power walked to the tent, grabbed a book and pretended to read. God, why did he have to show up now? She wasn't ready for talking. She wasn't ready to forgive him. Lilly felt herself get on the brink of another panic attack, but she managed to calm herself down as Arthur's silhouette appeared on the tent flaps.

"Lillian," Arthur said as he walked in. She eyed him from her peripherals.

"Arthur. To what do I owe the displeasure?" she asked coldly.

Arthur growled in a subtle, low voice. "Cut the bullshit. We need to talk."

"What you did today does not merit a discussion with me just now."

Arthur growled with more vigor. "God dammit, Lillian! I just-"

"No!" Lilly threw the book down. "What you did today was unforgiveable! And you know what?"

"What?! What now, Lillian?!"

Lilly stood up. "May the sun never rise for you, may the moon never shine upon you, and may you stay blind to the stars!"

Arthur glared at her. "Lillian. Don't you dare do tha-"

"May the gods of my people curse you! May the land open to swallow you whole!"

"Enough, Lillian!"

"May the sea rise to drown you! May the sky fall upon you!"

"Lilly! Stop!" Arthur shouted.

"I will never forgive ya, Arthur Morgan! Now get the fuck outta me tent or I will throw ya out! Do ya hear me?!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes more. "Fine! But when you want me back, maybe I won't take you back, Lillian!"

"That's fine with me, false husband!"

Arthur gaped at her. "What did you just say?"

Uh oh. "I...it just slipped out. But...I-"

"I think I've heard enough. False wife." Arthur turned on his heels and left.

Lilly smacked herself in the head. "Lilly, you're an eejit," she said to herself. "Arthur!" She went running out after him. "Arthur! I didn't mean that. I'm sorry."

Arthur turned around and glared at her. "Do me a favor and don't talk to me for a long while."

Lilly bowed her head. "I...alright. I am sorry, fhear céile." She turned around and walked back to her tent with a sad gait. "Why did I say that to him?" she asked herself as she entered the tent.


	36. The Renewal

It was the next day and Lilly dressed in her black summer gunslinger outfit with fingerless black leather gloves on and her auburn locks in a loose braid. She took her aspirin and her dramamine. She had a very rough day yesterday and a very sleepless night. She looked for Arthur and spotted him talking to John, but as soon as he saw her, Arthur walked away, got on his horse, and trotted off. Lilly made a decision. She didn't know why she made it, but it felt like the right thing to do. Lilly went over to Dutch's tent. "Hey Da," she said.

"Hey sweetheart. What's goin' on?"

"I'm gonna leave for a while."

"Okay. Well, where you goin'?"

"Just...away. For a while. Away from camp." Lilly fiddled with her fingers. "I don't think I can stay with the gang or Arthur anymore, Da."

"What?" Dutch got up, as did Molly, and they went to her. "Lilly, what's wrong?"

"I really messed up, Da. I accidentally called him a false husband."

"Oh dear," Molly said.

"Yes. Oh dear, indeed," Dutch said. "But Lilly, you're havin' his child."

"He hates me. I can't have a husband that hates me." Lilly covered her face and began to sob. "What if he hates the child for bein' part of me?"

Molly put her arms around Lilly. "He doesn't hate you, love. Gearr amach é. Is breá le Arthur tú." _[Cut it out. Arthur loves you.]_

"He won't talk to me after what I said. If he ignores me for one more day, I'll...I'll..." Lilly broke into tears and Molly and Dutch hugged her.

"God dammit, where is that boy?" Dutch asked.

"What in the hell?" Karen came over. "Why is Lilly cryin'?"

"She thinks Arthur hates her," Dutch said. "Lilly, where's your herbal medicine? The stuff Cornwall gave you?"

"Shouldn't we get her tea instead of letting her smoke something?" Molly asked.

"No! Ya feckers ain't sedatin' me!" Lilly snapped, then sobbed again. "I know about all of that, how ya been sedatin' me fer years! And the feckin'...things breakin' and...why am I actin' like this, Da?!"

"What the hell?" John said. "Oh Lilly, you're...are you havin' a mood swing?"

Dutch sighed. "If she's cryin' in front of people, then yes. You know Lilly hates that."

"Arthur keeps it on him. Said he doesn't want Lilly overdoin' it," Karen explained.

"Abigail!" John called out. "Come here for a minute!"

Dutch pat Lilly's back. "You're gonna be okay, just breathe, sweetheart."

Lilly nodded and nuzzled into Molly's shoulder. "I...I...are all pregnancies like this?!"

Molly laughed. "I haven't a clue, Lilly."

"What's goin' on?" Abigail asked. "Oh. Mood swing?"

Lilly's breathing became shallow rasps. She felt dizzy all of a sudden. "Uh oh. I...I gotta sit down!" Molly directed her to a chair and Lilly held her face, still sobbing. "I hate bein' pregnant!" she snapped. "How has the human race not died out? How are women happy bein' pregnant?!"

Some of the group laughed amongst themselves. "Lilly, Arthur went into town," John said. "You want me to go get him?"

"Oh, he's in town, huh?" Dutch said. "No, _I'll_ go get him. God damn boy makin' my daughter cry over nothin'," Dutch snarled as he brushed by everyone.

"I'm comin' with," John said.

Lilly watched the two of them. "Don't bother talkin' to him, he won't care! Just get my damn medicine!"

"We got this, Lilly, just relax," John said.

* * *

Arthur was getting drunk off his ass at the saloon in Rhodes when Dutch and John found him. Arthur waved them over with a drunk smile.

"Duuuutch! C'mere, old man! What are ya doin' 'ere?" Arthur laughed as he got up. He was in a conversation with a bunch of other folks. "Hey, this is my father-in-law! Oh, Jooohn! Johnny Boy! Get over here, have a drink!"

"Do you have Lilly's medicine?" John asked.

"Her herb pipe? Yeah, why? Is she okay?" he asked, guffawing. "Am I really in the dog house now?"

"What do you care?" Dutch asked bitterly.

Arthur laughed and pulled out a pipe and bag, handing it to Dutch. "I care enough to ask."

Dutch snatched it from him. "Then you should be askin' her. That's if she hasn't left yet."

Arthur blinked. "Left? To where?"

"Lilly was talkin' about leavin' us all...before she broke down cryin'. Not that it matters to you, of course," Dutch said coldly. "I'd sober up and come home if I were you." Dutch turned and walked out the door.

John looked at Arthur who had a stunned look on his face. "I'm an idiot too, so..." John threw up his hands lazily. "Good luck." John exited the saloon.

Arthur staggered and stumbled to the door to catch them both.. "Wait, wait! Dutch, John! Wait!"

Dutch and John were already mounted up. "What?"

Arthur walked with a drunken gait to Rose, got up, and shook his head vigorously. "She...she really was cryin'? In front of everybody? My Lilleh?"

"Yes. Now, I think it was just her bein' emotional, not that your behavior toward her has been helpin', but she was talkin' about leavin'," Dutch said, sounding a bit peeved.

"Why am I the bad guy here?" Arthur asked as they galloped off. "She's been so god damn unreasonable lately! And a hell of a lot meaner!"

John chuckled. "I'll tell ya, pregnancy is hard on a woman's brain. Abigail went through a lot of it, too. Maybe you should talk to the doctor here?"

"Oh, he will, but first let's get back before she does somethin' stupid, like gettin' shot on a job," Dutch said.

"Oh, she ain't..." Arthur hiccuped. "She ain't doin' any jobs like that. Not without me goin'. I'm her god damn husband."

"Then act like it, you dumb sod!" Dutch snapped. "You go and apologize to your wife, my daughter!"

"Why?! Because she's been uppity? That ain't my fault!"

"No? Because she is more emotionally sensitive now than before and you have been makin' it worse by pissin' her off and ignorin' her!"

"She'd be emotionally sensitive anyway because of the baby!"

Dutch stopped his horse in front of Rose. "Arthur! Stop bein' a stubborn asshole and go fix the mess you made! You hear me, boy?"

Arthur sighed. The only time Dutch called him "boy" was when Dutch was angry with Arthur. And by the look on Dutch's face, the man who raised him was livid. "Fiiine..." Arthur grumbled.

* * *

Lilly was pacing around a tree, trying to decide whether or not to leave, when Uncle quickly walked up to her.

"Lilly! How are you feelin', kid?" he asked enthusiastically.

Lilly frowned sadly. "Better, I suppose. Did I worry you?"

"Very! But I think I can help make you feel even better, maybe even turn that frown into a smile."

"What is it?"

"I bring a gift; the great gift of information."

Lilly smirked. She was intrigued. "Go on."

"Well, it's...uh oh," Uncle said as he looked past Lilly. "Your husband is back, and it looks like he's had a few drinks."

Lilly pivoted at the waist to look behind her and saw Dutch and John arriving with Arthur, who almost fell off Rose. He steadied himself with a deep breath and Lilly looked back at Uncle with a snort. "Oh...bloody hell! she huffed.

"Lilleh!" Arthur belted out.

Dutch stopped him. "You wait until she's had a smoke." Dutch walked to Lilly as John pat Arthur on the back and walked off somewhere. Dutch handed her the pipe and bag. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Da." Lilly packed a little herb into the pipe, lit a match and took a big puff. She instantly felt a lot better when she exhaled. "Ooooh boy..." she giggled. "Much better."

Dutch laughed. "Good."

Lilly glared at Arthur before sitting down and stuffing the medicine in her satchel. "Okay Arthur, now you can approach."

Arthur staggered over, stared at her with blood shot eyes and pointed at her. "You...just what in the hell do you think you're doin'?!"

Lilly blinked. "Excuse me?" she asked with a crinkled brow.

"You ain't leavin' me or the gang, you hear me? I won't allow it! Not when you're carryin' my kid!"

A scoff came from her throat. "Tryin' tah tell me what tah do, are ya? Go lay down and sober up, yer completely steamed!"

"Oh. Yes, I am steamin', but not because I'm drunk, you wench!"

Dutch grabbed Arthur by the arm and yanked him away, whispering to him. Lilly could overhear, of course, since her hearing was super acute these days. "That is not how you apologize to your wife, Arthur," she heard Dutch scold Arthur.

"I can't apologize when she's bein' unreasonable," Arthur replied with a low growl.

"She's only like this because of how you approached her. Be. Nice."

Arthur huffed and walked back to Lilly slowly. "Lillian. I-"

"Ugh! Go fuck yerself for callin' me unreasonable, ya shite! Now, I'm havin' a talk with Uncle here, so excuse me..." Lilly looked back to Uncle with a drugged smile. "You were sayin'?"

"Yes. I got information," Uncle said. "It's-"

"Woa woa woa," Arthur said, standing in front of Lilly and pointing at Uncle. "So you got some tip off, so now Lilly can risk _her_ neck, and you can make some money while you lounge around."

"You know, Arthur? Bitterness, it-it works on the inside as well as on your sour face," Uncle pointed out.

Arthur put a hand on the tree to steady himself. "If you say so, but you can find some other fool to run your errands because Lilleh ain't goin'!"

"Arthur!" Dutch snapped.

"No! I ain't lettin' her do some job where she can get shot!"

Dutch sighed and looked at Lilly. "Sorry, I tried." And Dutch walked off. Lilly snickered to herself. Poor Da.

"Bill! Charles! Come here! Will you be my other fools?" Uncle asked.

"What are you talkin' about?" Bill asked as the two came walking over.

"Arthur says Lilly and him is above a little stick up I heard about," Uncle explained.

"No we're not!" Arthur and Lilly said.

"But you just said..."

"If Lilly's goin' on a robbery, I am comin' with. And you are ridin' with us, Uncle, because if anythin' happens to her or the baby, I'm holdin' you responsible," Arthur said, lighting a cigarette. Lilly was shocked at how sober he seemed now.

"Oh, I got a serious medical condition," Uncle said.

Arthur cackled. "Yes. You are a compulsive liar!"

"No need to be like that. Charles, have I ever lied to you?"

"I hardly know you," Charles said in confusion .

"Exactly! Now you guys should do this! It's easy! And I'll only take a small commission for my information, but it's now or never."

"Then it's never," Arthur said, walking a few feet away and winking at Lilly. Her face scrunched up. What the hell was he winking for?

"Oh, God help me..." Uncle said in desperation. "Fiiine! I'll do it!"

Arthur laughed. "Well, what is it?"

"It's a supply wagon carryin' payroll," Uncle said as they all walked over to their horses. "But very briefly unguarded apparently as it passes through a crossroads near here where there's an old ruined church, befooooore," Uncle groaned as he saddled up, "it connects with the rest of the wagon train. Very easy pickin's."

Arthur looked at Lilly with a grin, then took one more drag and tossed his cigarette. "As long as we get paid, or you get shot, I'm happy," Arthur said as he approached Tessa.

"You are a sick man, Arthur Morgan. A very sick man indeed," Uncle said lightly. Lilly mounted Liath and they all began to gallop out of camp. Lilly was finally going to do something fun without being hassled about "protecting the baby"...she hoped. "This way...bunch of smart alecks."

"How you get wind of this, old man?" Bill asked.

"So," Arthur said to Lilly. "Can I have the medicine back so you don't do it too much?"

Lilly scowled. "You don't trust me with it? Why are you actin' like this, Arthur? You've been so god damn controllin' lately, I feel more like a possession than a wife."

Arthur sighed. "Fine, keep the damn stuff."

"Hey, if you don't want in on this, Williamson, that's fine by me," Uncle said. "Do us all a favor. Head home."

"Just give it a rest, you two," Arthur groaned.

Lilly ignored the conversation as Charles got up next to Lilly. "You shouldn't be so hard on Arthur," Charles said.

"Why shouldn't I? He's been real harsh with me."

"He's under a lot of stress with the baby and...all the other things that's happened."

Lilly looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Charles frowned at Lilly. "Perhaps you should ask him how he's doin', Lilly, because I don't think it's my place to say, but we did have a talk and I think this all can be resolved if you just ask if he's okay. Because he's not."

Lilly looked at Arthur's back and sighed. "Thank you, Charles, for speakin' with him. He's not one to talk about things like that. Not with me, anyway. He's a man like that."

"No man wants to feel less than a man in front of his woman."

"Well, I don't want to feel less than a man in front of him, neither," she joked.

Charles laughed. "Yes, you are very manly, Lilly."

Lilly and Charles cackled and they caught up to the rest of the group. "Okay, hold up here," Uncle said.

"We should cover our faces," Charles mentioned

"They'll be passin' through the crossroads up ahead."

"When?" Bill asked impatiently.

"Soon, Williamson. Chrissakes. It should be due any time now."

"Let's this quiet and clean. Nobody needs to die here," Charles pointed out.

Just over the ridge, a wagon came into view. "There! See, gentlemen? See, Lilly? Heh haw! Just like clockwork."

Lilly put her bandana over her mouth and nose and the gang began racing down the road toward the oncoming wagon. As it made a left turn, Bill started yelling at the driver. "Stop the wagon!" When the driver refused, Bill pulled out a gun. "I said stop the damn wagon!"

"Whoa!" the driver said to the horses to slow them to a stop.

"Now, don't try anything stupid and we won't do anything unkind."

Lilly shuddered. "God damn, Mr. W. That gave me the chills. Woof!" Arthur and the other men laughed.

"You know, boys, miss, I...I don't, I don't want to get shot, but this is a mistake. I work for Cornwall Kerosene and Tar. Mr. Leviticus Cornwall."

"Ah. Well shit," Lilly said with a sigh. "Alright, well, we can't very well rob 'em now."

"Oh, Mrs. M, I think we can. I hear he's rich enough to share the wealth around and-"

"Mr. W!" Arthur snapped. "Mr. L made us swear to stay away from Cornwall's shit! Now let's go before someone else shows up!"

"But Mr. M!"

Lilly sighed and heard horses approaching. "We need to leave! Someone is comin'!"

"I don't hear shit!"

"Well I do! Now let's get the fuck goin'!" Bill and the rest of the men scattered. "Our apologies, gentlemen. Surely I can trust you not to mention this to Mr. Cornwall or anyone else?" she said with a gun raised.

"Yes ma'am."

"Much obliged, gentlemen." Lilly holstered and went racing after the men. They got away just in time when another wagon was on the approach. Lilly was furious. As she removed her bandana, she started talking to Arthur. "I'm gonna kill Uncle."

"Ha! I bet you would, but you can't kill him, honey."

"Oh, don't you call me honey, ya shite! I'm still mad at ya!"

Arthur laughed and they all slowed to a stop. "Oh come on, let's not fight right now, mo stór."

"I think we need to focus on Uncle's fuck up instead of your fuck up!" Lilly walked Liath to Uncle and glared at him. "You're an idiot."

"How was I to know?" Uncle asked.

"How was you tah know?! It was yer god damn score, Uncle! Ya did all that mother feckin' "research" yet ya couldna find out who the supply wagon belonged tah?!"

Arthur trotted up. "You're lucky she heard someone comin', Uncle. I would have been very unhappy had my wife gotten harmed in all this. Now, let's split up. Make sure you ain't followed."

The boys scattered except for Arthur, who stayed by Lilly's side. "Well, that was a god damn bust."

Arthur chuckled. "Well, it's a good thing you came along. If it wasn't for your, uh...very good hearin', we would'a been screwed."

"Quite."

Arthur cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Listen, I uh...ahem, I think we need to talk."

"Yes. I think we do as well."

"...I'll allow you to go out on jobs, but only if I'm with you."

Lilly eyed him. "You'll "allow" me, as long as I have you with me as a frickin' supervisor?!" Lilly belted angrily. He was still trying to control her.

"That ain't what I meant!"

"Oh really? Then change your god damn phrasin'!"

"Why should I?"

"So ya dunna sound like a fuckin' controllin' husband! I'm not a wee lass in need of protection! I can take care of the baby _by myself_ if I hafta, Arthur!"

Arthur cocked his head and eyeballed her with a squint. "By yourself? By yourself?! No, we are in this together!"

"Not if ya keep pushin' me around! I swear to God himself that I will fuckin' leave everybody, _especially_ you, and never come back!"

Arthur grabbed her arm and yanked her to close in on her face. "You promised never to leave!"

"Yeah, well, ya vowed never tah dishonor me so bad I wouldna forgive ya, and I dunna think I can ever forgive ya!" Lilly pulled her arm away from him and sat up straight. "Ya used me tah get yer fuckin' rocks off then was gonna leave me standin' there like some god damn whore! Ya shamed me!"

Arthur glared at her. "Well it's about god damn time you feel shame for once in your life! Might make you a bit modest!"

"What's that supposed tah mean?"

"You, runnin' around with all that fuckin' flirtin', you think people didn't talk about it behind your back? You think you're such hot shit that no one would ever think of you in a bad way?"

Lilly swallowed. That was harsh. "Did ya think of me badly because of that? The very thing that made ya love me in the first place and ya thought ill of me fer it?"

"That was _before_ I fell in love with you, ya damn tart!"

Lilly scowled. "Well, thank ya fer clearin' that up! That makes me feel so much better knowin' ya was judgemental _before_ I gave ya the god damn time of day!" Lilly spat sarcastically.

"Oh for chrissakes, as if you would've done anythin' about it had you known!"

"About what everyone else thought? Tah hell with what they thought! If I'da known what _you_ thought of me, I would'a been devastated!"

Arthur's expression softened. "Really?"

"Yes! I would'a stopped flirtin' all together!"

"No you wouldn't."

"I would'a. I would'a done any god damn thing tah get ya tah...tah love me..." she lowered her head. "I loved ya the moment I saw ya, Arthur. I just didna know it, and I've told ya this! I suppose I flirted tah make up fer me emotional repression and I...I suppose I wanted ya tah feel jealous."

"...Lillian, I..."

Lilly looked back up at him. "But seein' as how the complete opposite was goin' on, and that ya kept it tah yerself, and not once did ya mention others talkin' behind me back, I think I'll list that as more offenses against your oath. Ya been breakin' it over and over again fer quite some time, it seems!"

"How was that dishonorin' you?"

"Not that, ya eejit! Tah always have me back! And by not tellin' me about it, ya didna have me back!" And with that said, Lilly turned and galloped away, thankful that Arthur didn't follow her. Or was she?

* * *

"Hey Lilly!" Sean shouted when she got back. "I heard about that bloody Cornwall stick up. Bad business that was, aye?"

Lilly chuckled as she ambled over. "Aye, that it was, deartháir. But I took care of it and got us out before the real trouble could start."

Sean giggled. "Right you are, girly. Hey, can I ask you somethin' about Arthur? Was his people Jacobites or English lovers?"

"Hmm. Ya know, I never asked. Ask him yourself, or I will once we're done fightin'."

Sean frowned. "You sure you twos will be alright? Ya been fightin' non stop for two weeks now."

Lilly shrugged. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst." Lilly really hoped Arthur and her would be okay, but these days, she didn't know. Still, she didn't want folks to worry. Lilly took a gander at Sean's map, but before she could ask about that, Lilly had a more pressing matter. "Sean, I need to ask you somethin'."

"Alright?"

Lilly crossed her arms and looked at Sean in his eyes. "Did people talk about me behind my back? About my flirtin'?"

Sean suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Yes."

Lilly huffed and knocked his hat off. "Why'd ya never say nothin'?!"

"Ack! Because, Lilly!" Sean bent down and snatched his hat up. "I didn't think ya'd care! And it's not like Arthur and I didn't have our fair share of fightin' people about it."

"Wait, you and Arthur? You guys did what, exactly?"

* * *

_Sean was sitting with Arth_ _ur enjoying a few beers in the Blackwater saloon. It was full of people that night. The two gang members were having a few laughs and Sean was having a right good time until Micah came walking to them and sat down. Sean hated Micah so much._

_"Hello boys," Micah said with a smile. "What are you up to?"_

_"Just havin' some beers," Arthur said. "Do you need somethin'?"_

_"Yes, as a matter of fact. I want to talk about Lilly."_

_Arthur snapped his head in Micah's direction. Lilly and Arthur were still not on speaking terms since their fight a couple weeks ago. Lilly was very upset about it but would only talk to Sean about it. No one else. They were family like that. "What about Lilly?"_

_"Well, since you are no longer her favorite, I'd like some advice on how to become her favorite."_

_Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "Didn't you learn your lesson already?"_

_"Nope! Come on, tell me. What was your secret before you screwed it all up?"_

_Arthur took a drink. "Watch your mouth, Micah," he warned._

_"No, really? I mean, you were close, but you never got close enough. Now I have to compete with Mac and Davey. They seem to be toe to toe near the finish line."_

_Arthur slammed his hand down. "Lilly will chew all of you up and spit you out!"_

_"Oh ho ho!" Micah laughed. "Jealous, are ya?"_

_"Leave him alone, Micah," Sean interjected. "He ain't jealous. He's protective."_

_"Oh is he? Well, seems like she doesn't want his protection anymore, even when she finds herself as a sheep among the wolves. But I plan on bein' the alpha."_

_"Micah..." Sean said. Arthur was getting red in the face. Micah was oblivious._

_"What is it, Mick?" Micah laughed._

_That bastard. "You know what? Nevermind. Go ahead and tell us your master plan on how to get Lilly." Sean just wanted to see Arthur kick Micah's ass._ _"_ _Éist, ansin buille an cac as dó."_ _[Listen, then beat the shit out of him.]_

_Arthur looked at Sean knowingly and leaned forward, beer in his hand. "Yes Micah. Please tell us."_

_"I haven't figured that out yet, that's why I was askin' you, Arthur," Micah growled._

_"Well, an alpha wolf such as myself never gives up their station. And I haven't given that up just yet."_

_"But you and Lilly ain't speakin'."_

_"For now. She still has a claim on me and I her, so-"_

_"That ain't what she told me."_

_Arthur's eye twitched. Uh oh. "What did she tell you?"_

_"Said she's free game."_

_Arthur gripped the beer bottle hard and Sean shook his head. "Ná creid é, Sasanach."_ _[Don't believe it, Englishman.]_

_"Why are you speakin' that...whatever it is?" Micah asked. "Ain't no room for anythin' but English here."_

_"Haha! Says you!" Sean laughed. "Anyway, you was sayin', Micah?"_

_"She's free game and I plan on bein' the first wolf to snatch her up. And I mean really snatch her up. I'm goin' to screw the daylights out of her. And when I'm done, I'll feed her to the rest of the wolves. Maybe then you can have her once the little tramp's had a real man."_

_Arthur took a drink of his beer, set it down gently, and bared his white teeth at Micah. "Ceapaim go ndéanfaidh mé é a mharú ina ionad."_ _[I think I'll kill him instead.]_

 _"Níl, fuair muid rialacha," Sean reminded Arthur. "Anois buail air."_ _[No, we got rules. Now hit him.]_

_Arthur grabbed Micah by the collar and tossed him to the ground, then got on top and started pummeling Micah's face in._

* * *

Lilly blinked in shock. "Micah said all that shit about me?"

"Yep," Sean said. "But that wasn't the first time anyone insulted your honor and Arthur made damn sure to shut people up. Eventually they all stopped talkin'."

Lilly chuckled. "I had no idea. God, that explains all those fights he had with most of the men." Lilly sighed then laughed loudly. "You both are such bastards for not tellin' me."

"Yes we are," Arthur said behind her.

Lilly turned around and saw Arthur with...a giant white boar pelt in his hands. She arched a brow. "Who is that for?"

"The baby," he said, taking off his hat. "I'm sorry, Lilly. For breakin' my oath."

Lilly took the pelt from him and gasped at the feel of it. "Oh, Arthur, it's beautiful. When did you-"

"The day before our fight. I wanted to wait until your birthday, but I'll find you another gift. This is a peace offerin'. And an apology." Arthur got down on one knee, bowing his head and placing an elbow on the bent knee. "Tá brón orm, mo ghrá. Le do thoil libh mo chionta." _[Sorry, my love. Please forgive my offenses.]_

"Arthur, what are you-"

"I failed to protect you when you were kidnapped, tortured and poisoned. I failed to have your back. I failed to honor you. I failed you with the cougar. I have broken my oath. I wish to renew it."

Lilly knelt down before him. "Arthur, this is..." Lilly lifted his face and looked at him with wide eyes, dumbfounded by his penitence. "You don't have to-"

Arthur kissed her then bowed his head once more. "I swear by the sun, moon, and stars to protect you, to always have your back, and to never cause unforgiveable dishonor to you. I swear by the gods my people swear by. I swear by the land, sea, and sky. If I break my oath, may the land open to swallow me, the sea rise to drown me, and the sky fall upon me."

She shut her eyes, disbelieving that he remembered the whole oath, and yet he did. Oh, her poor husband. No wonder he'd been so adamant about keeping her safe. Lilly lifted his chin, smiled at him, and pressed her forehead to his. "You are forgiven, mo chuisle. For everythin'."

Arthur smiled and stood. "I love you."

Lilly got up and grasped his hand, lifting both her shirts. "I love you too, but here, feel." She placed his palm on her belly. "Can you tell the difference?"

Arthur laughed and looked down. "You got a little baby bump." Lilly nodded. He knelt back down and kissed her stomach. "Dia duit, ár bpáiste beag." _[Hello, our little child.]_

Lilly heard people clearing their throats and she blushed when she realized some of the camp members were watching. "Arthur, get up."

Arthur looked up at her with a smile. "What?"

"People are lookin' at us."

"Oh." Arthur stood up with an ahem and looked at everyone. They were all smiling or giggling. "Yes, we made up. Now go on, git!"

People departed. Sean, Arthur and Lilly laughed. "So, is your people err, Jacobites or English lovers, Arthur?" Sean asked.


	37. Margaret, Mistress of Fucking Danger

Lilly, Arthur, and Sean left the camp together to go on a robbery. The boys joined in as soon as they left, seemingly happy that the couple were no longer fighting. They had an extra bounce in their steps and their tongues hung out lazily as they jogged by Lilly and Arthur's sides, the wolves' lips animated into smiles. This made Lilly chuckle to herself as the men bantered back and forth.

"I ain't like some of them others back there, sittin' around, waitin' to be told. I go after it," Sean said.

"I see you sittin' around plenty," Arthur joked.

"I mean, I don't need no coddlin' like the rest. Dutch knows my value to the cause. Has from the moment I met him."

"You tried to kill him, if I remember the story ri-wait a minute..." Arthur paused.

Lilly and Sean looked at each knowingly, then at Arthur innocently as they continued on their trek. "What?" they both said.

Arthur gave them both a squinting of his blue eyes. "Did you both plan that?"

"No," Sean said. "All I was told was to act with gumption."

"Lilly!"

"I didn't know he was gonna try to rob him!" Lilly barked humorously.

Arthur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "In ainm Dé..." _[Oh my God...]_

Lilly and Sean laughed. "You really got the Gaeilge down now, don'tcha?" Sean asked. "Cursin' to yourself in it and everythin'..."

"Dún do bhéal." _[Close your mouth.]_

Lilly and Sean laughed again. "Sean, I hafta say...yer a great teacher," Lilly pointed out.

"Thank you, deirfiúr," Sean replied.

Arthur sighed. "You sure you scoped this place out right?"

"Yes, see? That's why I wanted you along for this. You're still a doubter. I ain't just some dumb kid. I've lived a lifetime of shit already. Unlike you of course, Lilly, you've had it worse."

"And unlike Lilly, you sure don't keep it bottled up inside."

"What about that train job with the oil wagon? Made a good showin' there, didn't I?"

"You got knocked out."

"Ah, that's what you choose to remember. We got paid, we got outta there."

"Got knocked out in Blackwater too, didn't ya?"

"Now that was bloody chaos."

Lilly was supposed to go on that job. However...

* * *

_Lilly, in her summer gunslinger outfit, was outside reading a book_ _. Pretending to, anyway. Lilly kept glimpsing at Arthur who was busy chopping wood. Shirtless, of course. God she missed him, but they weren't on speaking terms anymore because of how she crossed a line. Lilly touched him by accident. Then she tried to push it and touch him again. Arthur didn't like that and they ended up calling each other the worst of names. He'd called her a whore, and she'd went off on him after that. So now, they were estranged. And Lilly hated it. Arthur glanced at her before Lilly eyed the book again. Dutch came walking up to Lilly with a smile._

_"Hey kid. You ready to go? he asked._

_Lilly frowned up at him. "I...yes."_

_Dutch looked over at Arthur than back at her. "Why don't you go talk to him before we go?"_

_"Because we are not on speakin' terms, Da."_

_"Was the fight that bad?"_

_"Yes." Lilly slammed the book shut and got up. "It was that bad. In fact I...I'm thinkin' after this job, I might go out on my own."_

_Dutch put his hands on his hips. "You what?" he laughed. "You want to leave the gang now because you two fought?"_

_Lilly scoffed. "I can't stand the sight of him."_

_"Yet you keep spyin' on him."_

_"It's hard not to! Especially when he's...flauntin' himself about like god damn eye candy!" Lilly snapped. She looked down at her book. "I mean, look at 'im!"_

_"Yes. He does tend to flaunt half naked when he thinks you're lookin'."_

_Lilly's jaw dropped. "That's not why he does it! Chores are a sweaty business!"_

_Dutch laughed. "Ha! Kid, you can't pretend to be that clueless."_

_"I guess I am that clueless because I don't understand men at all! Just...oh, bollocks!" Lilly threw her book down and went stomping away from Dutch to Holly. "Let's just go so I can get my take and plan on leavin'."_

_Dutch chased after her and grabbed her arm. "Hey hey hey, c'mere," he said, holding her by the arms._

_Lilly looked down at her feet. "I don't wantah stay."_

_"Lilly, look, just...how about you sit this one out? Just stay and really think about what you want to do?"_

_Lilly looked at Dutch. "I can't let you down like that, Da."_

_Dutch poked her nose. "You ain't lettin' me down, Iníon. You never have."_ _[Daughter.]_

_Lilly wanted to cry but she held her breath. "Oh Da..."_

_Dutch wrapped her up in a hug. "Just go climbin' or somethin'. The boys and I got this, okay?"_

_Lilly sighed and hugged Dutch. "You sure?"_

_"Yes, I'm sure." Dutch kissed her cheek and went walking. "Go clear your head. That's an order, kid."_

* * *

After the robbery of the stick up crew Sean got wind of, he left them both their own devices. They decided to stay out with the wolves and go hunting together. They'd killed a buck, three boars, two rabbits, and a racoon. Not a bad take. They set up camp and the boys went off on their own hunting expedition as Lilly and her husband made love in the tent. And when that was done, Arthur proceeded to kiss Lilly's baby bump repeatedly.

"You really like that bump, huh?" Lilly asked with a giggle.

"Yes I do. It's our baby in there," Arthur said, smiling up at her.

Lilly ran her fingers through Arthur's dark blonde curly J's. "I love you, Arthur."

Arthur kissed her belly again and snuggled his naked body against her own. "I love you too, Lilly."

"Can we not fight for a while, please?"

"Sure." A laugh came out of Arthur. "I hate fightin' with you."

"Me too." Lilly yawned. "Ugh, I need a nap."

Arthur laughed. "Wore you out, did I?"

"Yes," Lilly said happily.

Arthur nuzzled her neck with his face. "Yeah, you wore me out too, mo stór. Shall we nap?"

"Yes please," Lilly said with a yawn, rolling onto her side and resting her head on Arthur's chest. "A nap sounds wonderful." Arthur chuckled and kissed the top of her head and it wasn't long until Lilly drifted off to sleep.

_Wind. Trees. Howling. Ocean. A ship sinking in a storm. A cave. Darkness. A field of flowers. Night sky. Arthur coughing and falling off a horse. Three women. An island. A man in a blue and pink circus dress. Tobacco fields burning. Horses. Saint Denis. The red wolf. Jack screaming. Rhodes. Gunshots. Incoherent shouting. Blood drops. A flock of crows. A dress ripping. Papa. Sean's dead body on the red dirt in Rhodes, blood pooling beneath his head._

_Lilly stands on a riverbank. The sun shines through the leaves of ash, hawthorn, and oak trees. The water is clear, the grass is vividly green, and the smell of nature hits her with a breeze. Lilly hears a child laughing behind her and turns. She sees her parents and Little Janet. Lilly smiles and walks to them._ _"Come here, child. You can't speak to them just now," someone says behind her._

_Lilly turns around to see an old woman washing clothes in the river. She has a hooked nose with a wart and is in dark red old maid clothes with a black bandana over her white hair. She's the spitting image of an old hag. "Who are you? Why can't I talk to them, and where did you come from? You weren't here a second ago!"_

_The old woman laughs. "Oh, so many questions, my dear. All of them the wrong ones, and so demanding to know the answers, too."_

_"I...sorry, I'm just a wee bit confused. I don't know what's going on."_

_"You will, child. Not now, but soon. Come help me wash these clothes. I'm an old woman, you know."_

_Lilly sighs and walks around her, then kneels down and grabs clothes from the basket. They have blood on them. "It's very hard to get blood out of clothes, ma'am."_

_The woman laughs. "Yes it is. I can rarely get it out."_

_"Then why wash them?"_

_"Why not? I've been washing clothes for a long time. Sometimes I get lucky and the blood washes right off."_

_Lilly sighs and puts a tan jacket into the water. It's wrinkled, dirty, and blood spattered. She takes a bar of soap and starts scrubbing it on the jacket. "So why is it your job to wash clothes?"_

_"What else is there for an old woman to do?"_

_"Tell stories to children, pass down recipes to the next generation, sew quilts, things like that."_

_"Ha! Very true. But this was the job I was given. I like it. It suits me."_

_"You really don't do anything else?"_

_"I do. Just not while I'm an old woman."_

_Lilly blinks at her. "I don't understand."_

_"All in due time, child." She looks at Lilly. "Well come on, we need to get these clothes washed. I'm not getting any younger. Not yet, anyway," she says with a wink._

_Lilly shakes her head and continues with a grin, then she glances at what the old woman is washing. It's a blue shirt with little stripes, also spattered in blood. Lilly recognizes it. It's one of Arthur's shirts. She looks down at the jacket she's washing. It's one of Arthur's jackets. "This is Arthur's. Why are we washing Arthur's clothes? Is he here?"_

_"We're washing it because Arthur will soon be here. Until the blood washes out, of course, then he can go back home."_

_"I thought you said blood rarely washes out?"_

_"I also said sometimes I get lucky. Really, child, you must pay attention."_

_Lilly flinches when a flock of crows come flying around them. They caw and land in the grass near the old woman. "Are they yours, ma'am?"_

_"Just about as much as the wolves are yours. By the way, naming them after your brothers? Oh, such a clever girl!"_

_Lilly shakes her head in confusion. "What? What do you know about them?"_

_The old woman grabs the jacket and shirt, puts them in the basket, and smiles at Lilly. "You'll see." she gets up and walks away with the basket, then stops and turns around. "Oh, a little bit of advice, my dear. Look out for my crows. They could help you save the others."_

_Lilly gawks and stands up. "Wait, where are you going? What others? I have more questions!"_

_"Oh, come back another time, child. Duty calls."_

A shout came emanating from Lilly's throat as she woke. She sat up immediately and stopped. Her breath was heavy and sweat stuck to her naked body. Where was Arthur? She looked around. Him and his clothes were gone. She got dressed and crawled out of the tent. His horse Rose and the boys were gone. Lilly sighed. First things first. She took out her journal and wrote down her dream in detail. When she was done, she got on her horse Doc and began to track the giant pair of wolf prints following hoof marks leading away from camp. Luckily, they didn't look like they were in a hurry. It wasn't long until she saw a bunch of circus carts and a man...in a blue and pink circus dress looking rather glum. Oh boy. These prophetic dreams were being real...vague but accurate at the same time and it confuzzled Lilly to pieces. Well, the tracks led straight to the man so she went up to him.

"Excuse me, sir...or...ma'am?" Lilly asked. "Did you happen to see a man with two wolves?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, I did indeed," the man said in a British accent, sitting on his cart. "He's helping me find my wild animals."

"Ah," Lilly said, laughing to herself. "That sounds like my husband for sure."

"Your husband? Oh, so you're the owner of the wolves. How did you ever acquire such magnificent beasts, if I may ask?"

"By accident. Or design. I have no idea," Lilly replied. "I guess you could say we saved each other and they just kinda...stuck around. So, my husband?"

"Yes, he's out catching my zebra for me."

"Your zebra, huh? Well, hopefully my boys don't take the zebra for lunch." Lilly looked at the overturned wagons and sighed. "Do you need help getting those back up?"

"Oh yes, if it's not too much trouble."

Lilly laughed and walked over to one of the wagons. "No trouble at all, ma'am...sir..."

"It's Margaret. Mistress of Fucking Danger."

"Right." Lilly got to a wagon, spit on her hands, and lifted it back upright with a clank. "There, that's one."

"Good Lord, how did you do that?" Margaret asked, flabbargasted.

"Um...gravity doesn't have that much weight with me as it does everyone else?" she guessed.

Margaret laughed. "Ah, a pun! Good show! Say, are you in show business?"

"Nope. Outlaw business," Lilly said, upturning another cart. "Why?"

"I daresay you'd make a fortune on the stage."

"Oh, I know I would, but let's just say I get stage fright too easily."

"Ah! My zebra has returned!" Margaret said as Lilly heard a bleeting.

Lilly turned and saw her husband riding in on a painted donkey and she did her best not to fall over laughing. "Oh, Arthur. Is that yer noble steed?"

Arthur chuckled and got off the "zebra". "Good grief! You've found him! Our zebra!" Margaret exclaimed.

"Ha, well, you can call him that," Arthur said, walking over to a cart while leading the donkey. "Although he's as much a zebra as you are a...lady animal wrangler."

Margaret opened the door on a cage. "Oh dear, you are missing the point, aren't you? It's an illusion. A trick of the eye to bamboozle the senses. Counfound comprehension."

"Hoodwink your audience?"

"Hoodwink our audiences? Heh, dear boy, don't be so dreadfully literal," Margaret said, looking around for a plank. He found and grabbed it. "No one will pay for the truth...they only pay for deception. The allure of the stage. Dreams and reality," he said, dragging the plank over. "What is the greater conjuring trick? Lassoing some poor beast in the plains of Mumbo Jumbo land and shipping it here, so it can dance the polka?" Margaret asked, applying the plank to the cage so Arthur could lead the zebra in. "Or turning, there in the glare of those arc lamps, something mundane into something extraordinary?"

Arthur and Margaret shut the doors and Lilly pat her wolves on the heads. "Good boys." She fed them some meat.

"It's the difference between prose and poetry. It's alchemy. We're selling dreams, dear boy!"

"Well, as long..." Arthur approached the man but paused when the donkey passed gas and Lilly broke into a giggling fit. "As long as you don't pay me with tickets to your show," Arthur said.

"Ah yes, well it's not everyone's cup of tea."

"And speakin' of my payment..."

Margaret held up his hands. "Of course, of course, I shall make it worth your while. But, um," Margaret looked around, "first we shall need the whole menagerie back before we can think about that. My assistant's gone for the tiger."

"Tiger?"

"Yes yes, and taken our remaining lion in case it could lend a paw. They're down there on Caliga Way," Margaret pointed, then clasped his fists. "Please. I hate to ask."

Lilly bounded up to Arthur and clung to his arm. "Oh come on, Arthur. Please?" Lilly batted her eyelashes.

Arthur rolled his eyes at Lilly. "Alright. I'll see what I can do."

Lilly giggled then let go of his arm so he could get going. "Now, Mr. Margaret, is that the last of your show or is there another animal you'd like us to catch?" Lilly asked.

"Well, yes, there is one more. Our last lion. I'm well aware that we're not Royal Command Performance material...Daddy you were right, god damn you! But a cow barn in Rhodes is hardly Drury bloody Lane!"

Lilly chuckled. "So, you have word?"

"Yes. Um, but you better take your wolves with you. The last one can get rather, well, um..."

"Uppity?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact."

"I see. Well, where is it?"

"Someone saw him near Emerald Ranch. So, I'd be very grateful. All kinds of grateful."

"Sure." Lilly whistled. "Brian, James, you're with me!" The boys padded to her and she mounted on Doc. "Let's go!" And she and the wolves galloped off in the directtion of Emerald Ranch.

* * *

"Hey uh, I realized I ain't properly introduced myself," Arthur said to the blonde woman. They'd just obtained the ex lion/ex dog and the tiger/cougar together and they'd never exchanged names.

"Sally Nash," she said.

"Arthur Morgan."

They shook hands. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"Tell me Miss Nash, how'd you end up in this racket?"

"I...guess it's always been my inclination, you know? Wild beasts and the like. I met Mr. Margaret, we got to talking, and...you can probably tell, in this field, he's the ace of spades."

"He's a card, alright," Arthur said somewhat jokingly.

The joke went above her head, obviously. "It's my modest hope...one day...to be the world's second bravest woman...animal wrangler."

"I'd say you'd got that sewn up and then some."

"You think?" Sally asked happily. "I hope so. Top five, at least. Depends on how many more fellers throw their hat in the ring."

"Maybe one of these days the best female for the job will actually be a female," Arthur surmised.

"Oh, I don't know if that'll ever happen," Sally said in disbelief.

"Sure it will. Hell, my wife Lilly actually took down a cougar practically with her bare hands. And before that, it was two grizzly bears, although she had help with Brian and James for one of those."

"Wait, your wife? She wrangles animals?"

"Not as a profession. For survival. She's uh, very skilled when it comes to wild animals."

"Who are Brian and James?"

"Her wolves," Arthur laughed.

"She's got wolves?!"

"Mmhmm. You'll see 'em when we get back."

"She didn't go after our other lion?"

"You got another dog lion?"

"No. This one's an actual lion."

Arthur stopped the wagon. "Wait, what?!"

"Yes. Odysseus. He's a real bonafide lion!"

Arthur groaned and put his face in his hands. "Not again!"

"What's wrong? I thought you said she took on wild animals?"

"She does, but she's pregnant!" Arthur grabbed the reins and flicked them hard. "I hope she took the pups with her!"

"Brian and James are just pups? Woa! Easy!" Sally exclaimed, bouncing in the passenger seat.

"They're Canadian, so they're pretty big! Let's get back! If your Mr. Margaret sent my wife after a lion, I might have to wrangle him next!" The cart jostled about as they neared the caravan. When they got close, Arthur jumped off and power walked to Margaret. "You!" he pointed. "Where's Lillian?"

"Oh, I sent her after Odysseus with her wolves."

Arthur grabbed Margaret by the throat. "A man-eatin' lion?! You sent my pregnant wife after a real fuckin' lion?!"

"Now now, sir, she is more than capable! You should have seem her, sir! Lifted my carts right up...oh dear, did you say she's pregnant?"

"Yes!" Arthur raised a fist. "I swear to God, if she gets killed, I'll-"

Margaret looked past him. "Oh look! Sally, get the cages ready!"

"Yes sir, Mr. Margaret, right away!" Sally yelled as she ran around preparing another cage.

Arthur turned around and saw Lilly walking a real lion on her lasso while riding Doc. He took a sigh of relief. "Oh Lilly! You scared the shit outta me!"

Lilly laughed as Brian and James padded up to Arthur. "I know. I'm sorry, but I didn't know it was a real one. I was only told he'd get uppity."

Arthur laughed and walked to her. Lilly handed the rope to Margaret who took the lion to the cage. Arthur checked Lilly over for new scars. "Are you okay? How did you...ha, how did you get the lion back here?"

Lilly kissed her husband softly. "With my smile, of course."

Arthur laughed, twirled her around and kissed her deeply. "Mo bean chéile, you are...you amaze me."

Lilly giggled and kissed Arthur on the cheek. "And you flatter me, mo fhear céile."

"What happened to King?" Margaret asked.

"Stripey ate King, Mr. Margaret. I saw her do it," Sally explained.

"And I always thought they got along," Margaret said, looking into Stripey's cage.

Arthur and Lilly approached the cart. "Oh, she liked him just fine. She licked her chops and asked for seconds," Arthur chuckled.

Lilly smacked his shoulder. "You're such a crass man, Arthur Morgan," Lilly giggled.

"Speakin' of crass," Arthur looked at Margaret. "Pay me."

"Yes, of course, of course," Margaret replied. "I have just the thing. And," Margaret climbed onto the driver's seat. "What a treasure it is!" He grabbed something, climbed back down, and rubbed it on his dress. "You're a lucky man, sir. A very lucky man." Margaret presented an emerald in his hand. "From the mines of El Dorado, as green as the rainforest, as clear as the Amazon, and as dear as all the gold in the Andes. One man's labor is but a trifle compared to this jewel's true value." Arthur went to grab it but Margaret flinched it back. "Wait. I shouldn't. What would Daddy say?"

"Your daddy ain't here," Arthur growled. "And we had a deal."

"Yessssss, of course. A promise...is a promise." Arthur grabbed the emerald and sighed. "Sally, get the wagons moving. Good day, sir, madam, and thank you, but we really must he getting along," Margaret said, climbing on a wagon.

"Yeah, we won't keep you," Arthur said.

Lilly waved as they drove off. "Good bye, and good luck on the road!"

Arthur pocketed the emerald and held onto his wife. "Please, darlin', no more animal wranglin' until the baby is born."

Lilly laughed. "I agree. I saw the damn thing and almost shite my pants."

Arthur laughed and kissed her. "Let's head back to the little camp and uh, I'll wrangle you myself for a little bit?"

"Ooooh, Mr. Morgan, you animal. Rawr." Arthur chortled and kissed her passionately. "But before we do that, I need to tell you somethin'."

"What's that?"

Lilly sighed and pulled out her journal. "I've been writin' down my dreams. And...well, read." Arthur opened the book and began to read. "I think Sean is goin' to die," Lilly said with a frown.


	38. A Woman's Touch

Lilly paced back and forth in their tent back at the main camp as Arthur read her journal over again. All her dreams of prophecy were in there. She hadn't had many, but they still carried much weight in her mind. Lilly had an idea who the old washer woman was. She knew The Morrigan was a shapeshifter and sometimes took the form of a washer woman, cleaning the blood stained clothes of those marked for death. Lilly was worried though. Why was she allowed more than three questions this time? Why was she washing Arthur's clothes? Was Arthur going to die? Could The Morrigan bring Arthur back if he did? She did hint at it, after all. All of this was a lot for Lilly to wrap her head around.

"This riverbank...is it in Ireland?" Arthur asked.

"I think it's Tír na nÓg. I remember seeing it...I think. When I died," Lilly explained.

"Oh. So it's the Irish afterlife?"

"Sorta. It's the Land of Eternal Youth."

"Well then why was this...washer woman old?"

"I think that was The Morrigan."

"I thought she was young?"

Lilly sighed. "Remind me to give you my book about Irish gods and goddesses to read. The Morrigan shapeshifts. That's why she came as a wolf to me that one time."

"Hmm." Arthur sighed. "Why was she washing my clothes?"

"I think you're marked for death."

Arthur's face dropped. "Oh." He flipped through the pages. "Might have to do with me falling off this horse, you think? Where do you think it was?"

"It looked like Saint Denis. But...you looked sick. Real sick."

Arthur chuckled. "Well, that seems easy to avoid, darlin'. I just won't get sick," he joked.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "This is serious, Arthur. I can't have ya dyin'. Not with our wee bairn on the way," Lilly put a hand to her stomach. "And the other wee bairns we plan on havin'."

Arthur smiled at her. "You got a mind to have a whole manor full of kids, don't you?"

Lilly giggled. "It depends. I don't know how many pregnancies I wantah go through, what with the mood swings and the nausea and the..." Lilly reached for a jar of pickles and grabbed one, munching on it as she talked. "The fatigue and the headaches. Oh, and the constant need to relieve me feckin' bladder and colon!"

Arthur fell over on the bed laughing. "Is it really that bad?"

"Yes!" Lilly took another bite. "Sometimes I feel like me arse is on fire!"

Arthur cackled louder. "Oh, I'm glad you're goin' through this and not me."

Lilly smirked at him and kicked his shin gently so as not to break or hurt it too badly. "Shaddup!"

"Ouch!" Arthur laughed and pulled Lilly to him, kissing her belly as he sat up. "Hey there Junior, you stop givin' your mother the runs, you hear me?" Arthur burst into laughter.

Lilly giggled. "Yes, listen to yer daddy, wee one. And what makes you think it'll be a boy, Mr. Morgan?"

"Call it a hunch."

"Mmhmmhmm," Lilly chuckled as she straddled Arthur. She took one more bite of the pickle. "I think it's fittin' to name the first born son after the father, but I got designs fer A names if it's a girl."

"Which ones?"

"Aoife. She was a powerful warrior. Then there's Andraste, who was a goddess worshipped by, hahaha, Queen Boadicea. Aisling is another one."

Arthur laughed. "Boadicea. I miss that horse." Arthur kissed her as he held her rump. "Got any more names?"

"Aideen."

"Oh, I like that one. But I got one for you. Cahira."

"Hmm, Cahira? Why Cahira?"

"It means "warrior". And this baby will be a great one, especially if it's a girl."

Lilly laughed. "Well, Aoífe was an actual warrior, as was her sister Scathach."

"Hmm. Okay. Well...now that we've discussed that, what do you wanna do about Sean?" Arthur asked.

"We'll have to keep an eye on him. I don't wanna say nothin' until I know more." Arthur looked down at Lilly's stomach and smiled. "What are you smilin' about?"

Arthur looked back up into Lilly's eyes. "I'm gonna be a dad. A real one this time. And I'm not gonna get sick. I'm gonna stick around for this whole thing."

Lilly smiled and held his face. "You promise?"

"I promise. Now, how about we go and do somethin' fun to take our minds off all this vision shit of yours?"

A chuckle escaped Lilly's throat. "Sounds good to me. But uh," Lilly leaned in close and nibbled on his earlobe. It made him flinch and hiss. "Why don't we stay here and have fun first?"

Arthur chortled and placed kisses on her neck. "Whatever you say, Mrs. Morgan."

They started taking each other's clothes off and snogging when Lilly heard a commotion outside. "Hey, what's goin' on out there?"

"I dunno."

Lilly got off Arthur and buttoned her shirt before looking outside. "I ain't complainin'!" Mrs. Adler yelled.

"You are! Complain, complain, complain!" Mr. Pearson yelled back.

Arthur poked his head outside with Lilly. "Hmm, wonder what those two are fightin' for..." Arthur said.

"Hmm, well, Mrs. Adler sure don't seem happy."

"Oh I'm sorry "Captain"! Did they do things differently in the navy?!" Adler shouted.

"Yes! They left the ladies in port!" Pearson shouted back.

"And you preferred that, did you?"

Lilly and Arthur exited the tent to watch the spectacle. "Sometimes...depending on the ladies," Pearson remarked.

Sadie growled, turned, and aimed a knife in the direction of Mr. Pearson's back. "Say whatever you damn well please, but I tell ya, if I don't get outta here soon, I'm gonna kill someone."

Pearson stopped chopping and turned to face her, his butcher knife in hand. "And if you don't stop hissin' at me, I'm gonna kill you!"

Arthur and Lilly looked at each other before power walking in the direction of Pearson's stall. "Come near me, sailor, and I will slice you up!" Adler snarled.

Pearson took a few steps toward Sadie. "You put that knife down or you're goin' to be missin' a hand, lady."

"What is wrong with you two?" Arthur snapped at them both.

Lilly crossed her arms and raised a brow at Pearson. Sadie stabbed her knife into the table. "I ain't choppin' vegetables for a livin'!" The words flung from Sadie's mouth in frustration.

"Oh, I'm sorry, madam. Was there insufficient feathers in your pillow?" Arthur asked in a mocking tone.

"Arthur!" Lilly berated.

"What?" he huffed.

"I ain't lazy, Mr. Morgan!" Sadie said with a snarl. "I'll work, but not this!"

"Well ain't cookin' work?"

Sadie walked away from Arthur and knocked into Mr. Pearson as she stormed by. She stopped and crossed her arms. Lilly sighed and stopped Arthur from making more of a fool of himself. "I'll handle this," she said. "This requires a woman's touch."

Lilly closed in on Adler, who turned around with a sigh. "My husband and I...we shared the work. All of it. I was out in the fields, I can hunt, carry a knife or use a gun. But I tell you, you keep me here," Sadie looked past Lilly at Pearson, "I'll skin this fat old coot and serve him for dinner!"

"Watch your damn mouth you crazy, god damn fishwife!" Pearson yelled.

Sadie howled and leaped but Lilly held her back. "Easy, easy, he's just a silly old man, no need tah take offense tah anythin' he's got tah say!"

"But Lilly!" Mr. Pearson shouted.

Lilly looked at Pearson with a glare. "Mr. Pearson, I say this with the highest respect and affection fer yas, but shut up!"

Arthur chortled lightly. Lilly glanced back at Sadie with an exasperated expression. "Now look, ya wantah help with other jobs, that's fine. Ya need only ask. We'll figure somethin' out but right now, I suggest ya take a wee break and go cool off. Okay?"

Sadie sighed with a nod. "Okay."

Lilly smiled and leaned in. "And don't serve him for dinner, please. He's all fat and no meat," Lilly whispered in a joking voice.

Sadie covered her mouth and snorted. "Alright, alright. I'll go take a walk."

Sadie went off for a walk and Lilly turned to Mr. Pearson. "And you!" she pointed.

"Me?" Mr. Pearson pointed to himself with a gaping mouth.

"Yes you! Have ya forgotten the poor lass lost her whole life not that long ago?" Lilly got in Pearson's face. "Her husband is dead, her house burned down along with all her belongings, and she was the O'Driscoll's prisoner fer three days, Mr. Pearson! Cut the woman some slack, ya unfeelin' fuck!"

Mr. Pearson frowned. "I'm sorry, Lilly. But she is-"

"But nothin'! I don't care how much she conplains. She's only lashin' out with her grief. Be a gentleman and let her lash, okay?"

Mr. Pearson nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry, Lilly."

Lilly pat Pearson on the shoulder. "It's alright. I know us women can be frustratin'. Just be glad she ain't like me. I know I can be worse."

Mr. Pearson laughed. "Yes you can."

Lilly smiled and pat him again before grabbing an apple, biting into it and walking over to Arthur. "See? Woman's touch, mo chuisle." She held up the apple.

Arthur grinned and took a bite. "Yes...a woman's touch indeed."

Lilly smiled and chomped into the apple again. "Mmm, I love apples." She looked past Arthur at the lake and hummed. "You know what we haven't done in a while?"

Arthur looked behind him then chuckled, glancing back at his wife. "Skinny dippin'?"

"Yeah. Let's go do that," Lilly said excitedly.

Arthur smirked evily and lifted her up in his arms. "Oh, we're gonna be doin' more than that, mo stór!"

* * *

It was a week later and so far, Lenny, Arthur, Sadie and Lilly had gone to a place called Shady Belle and found money and new guns. Arthur and Lilly also went back to Valentine with Sadie, Karen, Lenny, and Bill and participated in a bank robbery. Lilly was happy with Sadie's skills, finding a parallel soul in the widow Lilly never thought she'd find in another woman. Lilly was also ecstatic that Arthur finally stopped pushing her around about "endangering the baby" but she figured it was because Arthur felt he was doing his job to protect her. She was now nine weeks pregnant and her baby bump had grown just a bit. Her nausea was non existent, her energy levels were up, and she rarely had any headaches. Her food cravings got upgraded from pickles, salted beef and ice cream to wild carrots and candy bars. Lilly thought it was the strangest of things. Still, that didn't stop her from nibbling on a carrot and a candy bar simultaneously as Arthur and her cuddled up by an oak tree in camp.

"Sweetheart, what would happen if you combined the two?" Arthur asked jokingly.

"Combine the two?" she repeated?

"Yes," he said, adjusting his back against the tree as he held her. "If you dipped the carrot in melted chocolate, would it taste good?"

Lilly blinked a few times as she nestled against her husband. "I haven't a clue, mo chuisle."

Arthur pulled put a candy bar and gripped it in his hand tightly. "Because I bet if you rubbed some melted chocolate on that carrot, you'd love it."

"That'd be an odd combination."

Arthur opened the wrapper to reveal some melted chocolate. "Try it."

Lilly chuckled in bemusement and pushed her carrot into the brown, gooey, sugary delight. When she looked up at Arthur and took a bite, her eyes lit up. "Oh my God!"

Arthur cackled. "Good, ain't it?"

"Mmhmm!" Lilly repeated the motion and her eyes rolled up. "Oh, this is heaven! It's even better than the first! You're a genius!"

Another cackle came and made Arthur's chest bounce. "Oh, that wasn't my idea."

"Was it Abigail's?"

"Nope," Arthur sighed. "Actually, it was Eliza's."

Lilly blinked at him and lifted her head. "Really."

"Yes."

"What else did she combine?"

"Pickles and ice cream."

"Really?" Lilly laughed.

Arthur laughed too and pulled out an apple. "Here, try this."

Lilly dipped part of the apple into the chocolate, took a bite, and groaned in pleasure. "Oooooh ggaaaawwwd! This is...we could make a fortune doin' this!"

Arthur prodded her hair with his nose. "Eliza said that too."

Lilly frowned. "Do you miss her?"

"All the time. Isaac too. God, he was a good kid."

"Yeah, he was. I remember when you took him fishin' that one time, and he got so mad, he threw his pole into the river!"

Arthur burst into laughter. "Yes he did. You had to go and get it back for him."

"Haha! I did. But he eventually got the hang of it, didn't he?"

"He sure did."

Lilly sighed. "I miss them both too, Arthur. They was both good."

"Yes."

Lilly took another bite of her chocolate dipped carrot and giggled. "Can I tell you somethin'? About my past?"

"Always, darlin'?"

"Hmm. Papa had a special school, for people like me. I trained for two years to be as lethal and skilled as I was when you and I met."

"I figured as much."

"Yes, but what you didn't figure is that the red child, aka The Morrigan, was the one who taught me all that stuff first."

"You're jokin'."

"Nope. You're lookin' at a child that was hand taught how to hunt, kill, and climb by the Goddess of War and Death herself."

"I'll be damned. You think maybe she gave you your other gifts? The shout and the singing?"

"Maybe. I just find it strange that my father killed her daughter and yet Morrigan had enough compassion to befriend me." Lilly dipped the apple and bit into it. "Mmm. So good."

"Hey now, don't hog all the snacks."

Lilly giggled and opened her mouth to Arthur, sticking a piece of chocolate covered apple out on her tongue. Arthur laughed and sucked it off her tongue which led to a deep and heated kiss. He pinched her nipple through her shirt and Lilly squealed. "Oh! Bithiúnach!"

Arthur chortled. "I love it when you call me that."

Lilly grinned. "Then do another thing and I'll keep callin' you that, cowboy."

Arthur chuckled deeply and kissed her again before yanking her up, lifting her in his arms, and walking over to their tent. "Oh, I'm gonna do plenty for you to call me that over and over!" he laughed.

They got in and Lilly was about to undress him when he stopped her. "What's wrong?"

He tossed Lilly on the bed gently. "Oh no, I am takin' my time with you." He crawled on top of her and they started making out.

* * *

Arthur!" the couple heard Hosea shout. "Lilly! Get out here, you crazy lovebirds! We got work to do!"

"Shit," Arthur said. Both of them got up and caught themselves in the mirror. They'd been kissing for thirty minutes, at the least, and they both looked like a tornado picked them up, took off all their clothes, and threw them somewhere. "Alright, Hosea, just...shit, we need...where's my blue shirt? Just give us five minutes!" Arthur replied loudly.

"Oh for cryin' out loud, you two!" John yelled. "Save the romance for later, would ya?"

Lilly giggled and the two got into their clothes as fast as they could. Arthur had issues getting his boot on, so Lilly helped him with it. Lilly hurriedly pulled out a new pair of black pants and a dark blue button down shirt from her clothes chest. She was hopping around to get her fresh pair of pants on, but tripped over Brian and knocked into the vanity table. "Shit, ow! Ugh, don't let me get in your way, Brian!"

"Christ, they fuck more than rabbits!" they heard Sean say.

Arthur buttoned up a blue shirt on himself but Lilly noticed some of the buttons were in the wrong holes. She smacked his hands away and fixed the buttons for him. "Your hair, Lilly!" Arthur whispered. "It's a rat's nest!"

"I'll fix it in a minute!" she hissed.

"We're waiting!" Hosea shouted.

"Oh, come on, Hosea," Dutch said. "Clearly, they're tryin' to hurry. I can hear them scurryin' about in there."

"As ucht Dé, how many of ya are outside?!" Lilly shouted, undoing her braids and brushing out her hair.

"Five of us!" someone yelled. "Wait, eight of us now!"

"Ugh! Perverts, all of ya!" Arthur tried to find his hat, and he accidentally knocked into James and fell down on the bed. Lilly saw this and cackled uncontrollably. "Out, boys! Yer gonna make Arthur break his neck!" Brian and James got up and zoomed out of the tent.

"Maybe you guys should go out to the woods for these...situations!" Charles suggested.

"We're not in a situation, Charles!" Arthur belted out. "We're gettin' dressed!" Lilly finished brushing, put her hair in a quick ponytail, and put her bulldogger hat on.

"You're right, Sean. They're worse than rabbits."

"You can't blame Arthur," Micah said. "If I had a woman like that, I'd never leave her alone."

"If you had a woman like that, she'd kill ya, rob ya, then drag yer dead body for miles with a horse!" Sean laughed along with the rest of the men.

"We can hear everythin' you're sayin'!" Arthur yelled. "Why are you so god damn close to our tent!?"

"Hosea, Sean, just head to the Braithwaites, Lilly will catch up," she heard Dutch say. "I've gotta go into town. Ride along with me for a bit."

"Oooh, no, I gotta wait for lover boy, here," Sean said. "We need to discuss the party."

"Party? What party? And why wasn't I invited?"

Lilly was dressed except she had no gun belt. She scrambled around looking for a new one. Arthur found his hat but had to comb his hair first.

"No, yer invited, Dutch. All the men are. We was gonna inform everyone tonight. See, the four of us never had a wedding reception with family."

"Wait, why are _you_ planning this party?" Charles asked.

"I'm sorry. Would ya like to be included, then?"

Once they felt presentable, they went to join the others but Lilly grabbed his arm. "Wait," she hissed.

"What?" Arthur grunted.

"Your shirt is still buggered!" she fiddled with his shirt collar. "I gotta perform my wifely duties!" she complained humorously.

"Well I don't know, Sean!" Charles barked. "That's not why I was askin'!"

"We'll do it together, man. Calm down, don't go givin' yer arsehole a cramp!"

"Alright. Hosea, let's go. They will catch up," Dutch said. "Arthur and John and Javier got the Grays covered."

"Get out here!" Bill laughed. "Get that rooster out of the hen house already!"

"We ain't doin' that, Bill!" Lilly shouted. "We're gettin' dressed!"

"You keep sayin' that, but I don't think you're makin' any progress!" Bill shouted.

"Wait, your pants are undone." Arthur immediately reached into her pants and dragged a finger along her slit.

Lilly's knees almost buckled. "Oh! Bithiúnach!" she said a little too loud in a tone of wanting. "What are ya doin'? Git yer hand outta there, ya devil!" she scolded with a giggle.

"Uh oh, here come the pet names. I think they're gonna mate again." Sean laughed along with the others.

Arthur chuckled deeply into the crook of her neck, still stroking her nub. "It's not my fault, mo stór. Your pussy cat was meowin' at me. Can I make it purr?" he whispered.

"My pussy cat? As ucht Dé, Arthur. No, now don't ya start that shite! Not...now...dammit, they're waitin' outside."

"Here, kitty kitty kitty," he whispered into her ear.

"Oh my fuckin' god, Arthur," she laughed quietly.

"You love it when I talk like this, admit it."

"Yes but it's so goofy and stupid," she giggled.

"It still makes you laugh," he grinned, wiggling his finger into her. "And wet, too."

"I think this is good for them," Charles said. "Bein' married, I mean. And havin' a baby on the way? Makes me happy for them both."

"It is a happy thing," Sean said happily. "Those two were made fer each other...if ya dismiss the cradle robbin' part." More laughter echoed.

Lilly laughed at him and bit her lip. "Yer a horrible, ghastly man, Arthur Morgan, but me pussy cat is not in the mood to play," she pouted, playing along with his silly game.

"Liar. But I'll only play with the bell on your pussy cat's collar, I promise," Arthur cooed.

"Even me bell is not ready, mo chuisle. Don't...uuuh...yer such a bad influence on me!"

"Are you sure it ain't the other way around, woman?" Lilly beamed at him and kissed him hard.

"Why did it get so quiet in there?" she heard Javier ask.

"Now now, let's give those rabbits some time alone," Sean laughed. "Hosea ain't here to hurry them along no more."

Arthur dragged Lilly in front of the vanity table, got behind her, put his hand back down into her pants, and held her with his free arm. "Just one little purr, Lilly, then we'll go," Arthur spoke softly, peering over her shoulder.

Arthur began rubbing her clit in a circular motion. Lilly giggled then gasped. "Liar, it's never "just one little purr" with ya, bithiúnach."

"Just," he kissed her neck. "One," another kiss on the shoulder. "Little," he flicked his finger back and forth on her nub quickly and she moaned. "Purr," he breathed into her ear.

"Is this gonna be an every day occurrence?" John yelled.

"Oh, yer feckin' insatiable, tú ainmhí," _[you animal]_ Lilly hissed as Arthur continued pleasuring her. "Alright. Just one little purr from me pussy cat."

"That's my girl, heh heh heh." He massaged her a little harder, and she spread her thighs open then bit her lip.

"How long does it take to get dressed?!" Micah heckled.

Lilly watched Arthur in the mirror as he played around inside her pants. Arthur's fingers kneaded faster. "If we weren't in a hurry,' I'd bend you over and take you right now, Lilly."

"Are you two alright in there?" Sean yelled.

Arthur pressed himself up against Lilly's rump and started grinding into her. Lilly started breathing faster. Arthur chortled heavily, kissing her neck. "Are you gonna purr for me, pussy cat?"

"Yes," she moaned quietly. Arthur smiled when Lilly bent herself back. "Fuck, mo chuisle."

"Are you two playin' hide the salami again?" Sean asked.

"No!" Arthur shouted without stopping his fingers. "Lilly's hair needs brushin'! It's horrible right now!"

"Why do you need to stay in there for that?" Bill laughed.

"Because he's helpin' me get the snarls out!" Lilly shrieked, trying to make it sound like it wasn't because of Arthur pleasing her.

"I'm pretty sure that's not what they're doing," she heard John comment. "But can we just go please? Lilly can meet up with us later."

"You go. I told yas, I'm waitin' for Arthur," Sean said.

"So, what kind of party were you thinking, Sean?" Charles inquired.

"Oh, just us goin' to the saloon, maybe sing and dance around, and get severely malafoostered."

"Mala what?" Bill asked. "What kinda word is that?"

"It means drunk."

"Arthur, I'm gettin' close," Lilly hissed. "Mmm, mo chroí..." _[my heart...]_ Lilly arched her head back and shifted her hips back and forth. Lilly began to whimper.

"Wait, that's it?" Charles asked. "That's not a party, that's what we do almost every night." Laughter ensued.

Arthur massaged harder and faster into circles, then back and forth along her nub. She took gasps of air as she felt the orgasm build, bucking her hips towards his hand. Suddenly it hit her intensely and she moaned out in Gaeilge. "A dhéanann tú mo puisín teacht chomh crua, mo chuisle!"...a little too loudly. _[You make my pussy come so hard, my pulse!]_

Arthur couldn't help but laugh while scolding her, yet not stopping. "Quiet down, you god damn banshee!"

"Then don't play me pussy cat like a fiddle!" she snapped, her legs shaking. "That was NOT "just one little purr", ya fuck!"

"Oh my fucking god!" Sean roared with laughter, and it was followed by a lot more laughter from the men outside.

Lilly covered her mouth to suppress her giggling. "I'm sorry, Arthur. I couldn't help it."

Arthur laughed. "Don't be. I like it when you're loud." He pulled his hand from her pants and buttoned them up.

"Guess we have to go out and face them now, aye?"

"Yeah, but they ain't never gonna let us live this down."

"Psh, let them make their jokes, mo chuisle. I'll set 'em straight. Just you watch."

Arthur and Lilly walked out to be greeted by an apparent waiting party. Sean, Charles, Bill, Javier, Micah, and John were all staring at them with their own expressions of amusement.

Micah looked at Arthur and his grin got bigger. "What uh...what happened to your lip there, cowpoke?"

Lilly looked at Arthur's mouth. She rolled her lips in to prevent herself from laughing. Part of his lower lip was swollen where she bit him earlier. And there were teeth marks. Arthur felt his lip and snickered. "Yeah, Lilly, uh... she gets a bit carried away, sometimes."

"Lilly," Javier said with amusement. "You really are a pussy cat! You used up one life out of nine and it looks like..." Javier got closer to examine Arthur's lip. "Ooooh, you definitely bit him! What a pussy cat!" More laughter came from the group of men.

"What was that you shouted in Irish?" Bill asked.

Sean let out one of his signature giggles. "You make my pussy cat come so hard, my pulse!" The men laughed really hard that one.

Arthur glanced over at Lilly with a smirk. "Ha! I sure do!"

"Oh, I'll skin yer feckin' hide for that, Sean!" Lilly threatened with a giggle.

"With what? Yer pussy cat claws?" The men laughed again.

"You're full of surprises, Arthur," Micah said. "I didn't even know you played the fiddle." People cackled loudly.

"Jesus Christ," Arthur said under his breath with a laugh.

"That's a nasty bite there, Arthur," John laughed. "I think it's worse than mine was. You should lie down and rest. I'll bring you a pussy cat to snuggle with. Oh wait, you already got one." The men laughed again.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Charles laughed. "I know I shouldn't, but...I gotta ask. What's a banshee? Is it a really loud pussy cat?" The men broke into hysterics.

Lilly gave the group of men a smug grin. "Oh ha ha ha, laugh it up. But you boys could learn a thing or two from my wonderfully attentive husband, here."

"Oh really? Like what?" Bill asked with skepticism.

"Pleasin' a woman."

"Oh, I know how to please a woman, Lilly," Sean giggled. "You can ask Karen. I please her, right I do!"

"That ain't what she said about "MacGuire Junior"."

Sean's face dropped. Arthur and the rest of the group cackled loudly. "That ain't right, Lilly," Sean protested.

"Let me ask you somethin', boys. Have you ever gotten a woman to say things like I just did in the tent, scream out, talk about your manhood with enthusiasm or encouragement, or actually reach their...thresholds? Raise your hands if you have."

The boys scoffed and raised all their hands. Arthur did as well. "I think this backfired on you, Lilly," Bill said.

Lilly smirked. "Okay, how about women you didn't have to pay for?" Arthur was the only one who didn't lower his hand. The rest, however, put their hands down while looking rather sheepish. Lilly grinned. "Hmm, that's what I thought."

Silence. The men were speechless. Arthur chuckled and lit up a cigarette. "What's the matter, fellers?" he said as he exhaled the smoke. "Cat got your tongue?"

Lilly blew a raspberry and went into a fit of giggles. Arthur cackled and the two started walking to the horses. "Well, let's go!" Lilly shouted. "We're burnin' daylight!"


	39. The Set-up

Lilly and Arthur walked side by side to Rose and Liath.

"Just be careful with that woman, Lilly. I don't trust her and she ain't as dumb as the rest of this town," Arthur warned. "You still didn't tell me what she said to you that day."

Lilly's mouth went sideways, creating a big dimple. She was indecisive. "And I will tell you the whole conversation, but not just now." Lilly kissed his cheek and lingered. "I will say, however, that it had to do with Papa."

"Ah shit. Does she know about the price on your head?" Arthur asked with concern.

"Unfortunately, yes, but she has no desire to collect...I suppose she's got enough money, though. It would only be pocket change to her," Lilly assured him.

"A hundred fifty thousand dollars is pocket change?"

"Apparently so. Hell, it's pocket change to our estate."

Arthur laughed. "That's true. God, we're gonna be so rich."

"Don't get greedy," Lilly smirked.

Arthur leaned in close to his wife. "The only thing I'm greedy about is your pussy cat."

Lilly squinted her mouth in amusement and smacked his shoulder lightly. "God damn bithiúnach!"

Arthur laughed again and rubbed his shoulder. "Ow!" he said mockingly. "Bean teasaí..." _[Feisty woman...]_

"Ya bet yer arse I'm feisty. Now c'mere," Lilly said, grabbing his shirt and kissing him with vigor. "You be careful, too. I'm not takin' my wolves. Wouldn't want to be forced to go after yas when you steal the horses, mo ghrá." _[my love.]_

Arthur slapped her bottom and she squealed. "Take 'em with you, please. I would feel better if you did. Besides, I got a plan for that."

Lilly looked at him suspiciously. "What plan?"

"You ready to go, deirfiúr?" Sean asked.

Arthur gave his wife a knowing smirk. "You'll see."

"Hmph. "Yes, deartháir, I'm ready." Lilly gave one last kiss to her husband before calling the wolves over and mounting up. Sean, Lilly, Arthur, John, and Javier all left at the same time but the two groups parted ways shortly before Rhodes. Lilly and Sean, along with the boys, engaged in comversation.

"Have ya thought about names yet?" Sean asked.

"Arthur Jr. for a boy, Cahira or Aoífe if it's a girl, although we have a few other names to go on."

"Ah. Good names. But Arthur Jr.? Really?"

"Why not? He should be named after his father. Oh..." Lilly stopped riding and put a hand to her belly. "Little one is hungry, I think." She reached into her pouch and grabbed a carrot and a candy bar. "Just give me a second, sorry."

"Take yer time, deirfiúr. Babies need eatin'." Lilly gripped the candy bar firmly to melt it before opening it and covering her carrot with the chocolate. As she took a bite, Sean gaped at her. "What in the bloody hell are ya doin'?"

"Mmm. Arthur showed me this. Try it." Lilly handed Sean the carrot.

He shrugged and munched. His eyes sparkled. "Wow, that is good."

Lilly snatched the carrot and gobbled it up before reaching for another and putting the remaining chocolate on. "Yes. Such goodness. I wonder if chocolate can go with every food."

Sean laughed. "Perhaps."

They resumed their gait as they neared the Braithwaite property. Lilly finished her carrot and approached the guards with a smile. "Hello, boys. We're here for some cribbage," Lilly spoke pleasantly. "I believe my father is already here?"

"Yes, yes, head on in," one of the guards said, eyeing the wolves. "Are those two supposed to be that big?"

Lilly looked at Brian and James. They both were still growing, but they still weren't more than four and a half feet at the shoulder and eight feet in length. "I guess so. They're, uh, Canadian Timberwolves. Everythin' is bigger in Canada, or so I've been told."

"Huh. Alright then. Go on."

Sean, Lilly and the pups wandered into the property and headed to the door on foot. The doorman met them both, eyeballing the wolves. "Oh, don't let their size fool you, sir. They're both just big ole' sweethearts."

To emphasize this, both the boys sat and whined. The doorman gave a nervous smile before letting them all in and motioning to the first room on the left. "This way, madam, sir and...wolves." He opened the doors to reveal Hosea, Mrs. Braithwaite and one of her sons drinking tea and playing cribbage. "A gentleman and lady to see you, madam."

"Ah. So nice to see you again, Mrs. Morgan. And this is?" she motioned to Sean.

"Mr. Sean MacGuire, at your service," Sean said before removing his hat and bowing.

Lilly almost snorted as she removed her own hat. "Please sit," Catherine said. "Tea?"

"Yes, thank you," Sean said.

"Yes, please," Lilly said. The doorman found a chair for her and put it behind her. "Oh, thank you kindly," Lilly said with a smile, sitting herself down and crossing her ankles. Brian and James laid down at her feet, despite how much room they took up. The doorman left, presumably to bring more tea.

"So, Mrs. Morgan, that husband of yours...is he-"

The doorman opened the doors again. "Ahem, another gentleman to see you, madam," he said.

Lilly arched a brow as Arthur walked in. What in the hell was he doing here? Did he already steal the horses? "I'm sorry I'm late, Hosea, I uh, had some personal business to attend to," Arthur said. He went and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Hello darlin'."

Lilly smiled with a squinting of her sapphire eyes. "Mo chuisle."

"Arthur, welcome,"Hosea said. "We were just playing cribbage. Arthur Morgan, Mrs. Catherine Braithwaite."

The doorman, who was apparently the butler as well, brought in more tea with sugar and cream. Lilly took one with two sugar cubes and a dash of cream before swirling a small spoon in the liquid and drinking it. "Nice to see you again," Arthur said to Catherine with a wave.

"Apparently. So this one," she said to Hosea. "Is he as big and as dumb as he looks?"

Lilly's eye twitched as Catherine glanced at her. The god damn bitch just insulted her husband. Lilly went to defend Arthur, but Hosea raised a palm with a laugh. "Well, he's surely big, but his intelligence is a matter of some conjecture. Some say he is as dumb as he looks... but, I think, well, he's not quite that dumb."

Catherine chuckled as she dealt some cards. "And you, Mrs. Morgan. What is your conjecture?"

Lilly raised a brow with a smile. "I would have to say there is more to him than meets the eye," she said with a smile. "But as size goes? He most certainly lives up to that aspect, in more ways than one," Lilly spoke suggestively.

Sean almost choked on his tea and Hosea tried not to laugh. Arthur looked abashed but amused, but Catherine kept a straight face. "Hmm. Blunt, aren't you?"

Lilly leaned forward with a predatory smile of her white teeth. "Very."

"Hmm." Catherine directed her attention back to Hosea. "So these are the boys goin' to Caliga Hall?"

"Yes, we could take care of that for you, but one hates to be coarse...there is the question of money," Hosea said.

Mrs. Braithwaite chuckled. "Oh, we've got money, Mr. Matthews."

"Paper? Bonds? Metal?"

Catherine's son laughed. "She ain't gonna pay you with a certified check, you Yankee numbskull."

Hosea motioned for the boys to leave. "Ain't childbirth just the most beautiful miracle?"

"Well Arthur..." Sean said, getting up to leave with Arthur.

"Seems a lady can birth monkeys after all."

"Speakin' of birth, I hear congratulations are in order for Mrs. Morgan here," Catherine said with a deviant smile. "Even in light of your fertility problems, life does work miracles, hmm?"

Lilly swallowed more tea than she intended and cleared her throat. Hosea looked surprised. So she knew as well. Arthur had stopped and turned to look at Catherine. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, I'd heard the poor girl became barren at the tender age of seven, is that not true?"

Shit. She averted her eyes to everyone except Catherine, giving her a warning glare. "That isn't true. Not sure where you got that information, but I fell out of a tree some years ago. That was the cause of my infertility."

"Really? Huh. I suppose I must have been misinformed."

"Lilly?" Arthur snapped. "A word?"

Lilly set her tea cup on the table and stood. "Excuse me. Boys, stay."

Lilly exited the house with Arthur and Sean, Arthur pulling her to the side. "What the hell was that about?"

Lilly fiddled with her fingers. "I...well..."

"Sean, did you know about this?!"

"No, I didn't," Sean said, looking as surprised as ever. "Lilly, is it true?"

Lilly bowed her head. "Yes."

Arthur let out a breathless chuckle. "You lied. Why did you lie? Wait, did you have the doctor lie?"

"Yes?"

Arthur almost went to tear his hair out but stopped himself. "Why? Did you fake your accident too?!"

Lilly's jaw dropped. "Are ya kiddin' me?"

"No! I want to know!"

"Arthur!" Sean barked. "Why would she fake somethin' like that?"

"To cover up whatever really made her barren!"

Lilly's eyes narrowed. "So, ya think I fell from the top of a tree and got stabbed in the gut on purpose?! Tah cover up a god damn lie!? Fuck you, Arthur!" Lilly shoved Arthur. "Ya can go straight tah hell, ya piece of shite!" Lilly stormed back into the house. "BRIAN! JAMES! LET'S GO!"

The boys came running out and Lilly marched away from Sean and Arthur. Arthur ran after her and stopped her. "You're right, you're right! I'm sorry! That was a dumb thing for me to say!"

"Oh shut up! Ya really are as dumb as ya look!"

"Oh, I am now, huh? I suppose my size is the only thing goin' for me now, isn't it?!"

"Yes!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Why do you have to be such a god damn bitch sometimes?!"

"And why do ya have to be a big dumb brute _all_ the time?"

"Stupid trollop!"

"Arsed faced mule!"

"God damn cunt!"

"Dumb fuckin' beast!"

Sean got in between them. "Hey hey, guys. Look, you both-"

"Oh shut up!" the couple shouted at Sean.

Sean backed away with a clearing of his throat. "Okaaaaaaay..."

"Why would you lie about how you became barren?!" Arthur demanded.

"It happened before I met ya!" Lilly snapped.

"Well you still should've told me!"

"I was goin' tah! Eventually! But that god damn woman let the cat out of the bag! It was not her secret tah tell!"

"Well what is the secret?!"

"Not a secret for ya tah know! It is _my_ secret!"

"But I'm your husband!"

"That does not mean I'm obligated tah tell ya a god damn thing!"

Gunshots sounded in the distance on the property. "Shit!" Arthur shouted. "Na capaill!" _[The horses!]_

"Sin ag tarlú anois?!" Lilly shouted back. _[That's happening now?!]_

"Shea!" _[Yes!]_

"An é seo do phlean!?" _[_ _Is this your plan!?]_ Lilly asked. More gunshots sounded in the distance. Lilly saw two riders in bandanas making off with three horses.

"Níl!" _[No!]_

"My horses!" Mrs. Braithwaite shouted. "Stop them!" she shouted at Arthur and Sean. "You!" she pointed at Lilly. "Get your wolves and go after them!"

"Oh no, you ain't makin' me go after 'em, ya god damn hag! Ya let me secret out and ya know it!" Lilly stormed away towards Liath.

"You get back here, you witch!" Mrs. Braithwaite went marching after Lilly.

Lilly turned around. "BACK OFF, YOU OLD, PATHETIC BITCH!" her voice boomed.

The old woman took a few steps back and stared at Lilly in horror. "You! You really are a witch!"

Lilly scoffed. "Yeah yeah yeah, that's what people keep tellin' me! C'mon, boys!" James and Brian chased after Lilly as she mounted up.

"Lillian! Our conversation ain't finished!" Arthur snapped.

"Don'tcha have some bandits tah catch, Morgan?!"

Sean mounted on Ennis and went charging down the boulevard. Arthur got on Rose. "Leanfaimid ar aghaidh leis an bplé seo níos déanaí, bean!" he yelled as he went charging off. _[We will continue this discussion later, woman!]_

* * *

_O_ _rchids on trees. Swamps. Saint Denis. A boat in a storm, sinking into the sea. A giant alligator. Jack screaming. Arthur being dragged across the ground. Colm O'Driscoll standing in front of Dutch with Micah behind him. A stake burning. A house burning. Sean shot in the head lying on the red dirt._

_Lilly finds herself on the riverbank from before. She sees Janet, her mother, and her father off in the distance playing happily. Lilly hears her father's laugh._

_"Don't worry, child. You'll speak to them soon." Lilly hears the old washer woman behind her. She shifts around and sees The Morrigan washing clothes in the river. "Are ya here to help me with the clothes, Lillian?"_

_Lilly scoffs. "That depends. Am I washing my husband's clothes again?"_

_The Morrigan laughs. "No, not just now, my dear. Come come, help me."_

_Lilly throws up her hands and kneels down next to the woman. "Okay, whose clothes are next?"_

_"Oh, I think you know. One of them, anyway."_

_Lilly blinks. "Sean."_

_"Yes, good, smart child."_

_Lilly smiles and grabs clothes from the basket. "Thank you, Morrigan."_

_"You're welcome. Now," The Morrigan rubs soap on a black vest. "That Papa fellow...you'll see him again. And Lillian, you will have your revenge. I can promise you that. And so will Brian."_

_"Brian?" Lilly looks over at her family. It occurs to her that James and Brian aren't there. Ever. "Morrigan, why don't I ever see Brian and James here?"_

_"Because they're not here. They're with you."_

_Lilly looks at her. "With me? I don't understand."_

_"Wash, child!"_

_"Sorry," Lilly washes the gray jacket she's holding. "This is Sean's. Can I save him? He's...he's like a brother to me."_

_The Morrigan stops what she's doing and hugs the girl. "Of course you can save him. Ain't nothin' or nobody that can tell ya different. But...before you worry about that, there's a thing with your husband." She lets go of Lilly and rinses clothes._

_"Arthur? What about him?"._

_"He's in danger, my dear. Now he's already left with Dutch and Micah for that meeting, but you need to go!"_

_"What meeting?" Lilly washes again then her head pops up. "With Colm O'Driscoll?!"_

_"Yes! Oh, you bright child! Now you're gettin' the hang of it!" she laughs. "But ya need to hurry, my child!" Lilly blinks and the old woman smacks Lilly's arm. "Go go go! While there's still time! And write it down after, not before!"_

Lilly woke up and immediately jumped out of bed. It was morning. Lilly looked around as she dashed from the tent. Dutch, Arthur, and Micah's horses weren't around. Lilly ran over to Hosea who was sitting with a book. "Athair!" she yelled.

Hosea looked up. "Hi Lilly. Woa, where's the fire?"

Lilly leans on the table and breathes. "Was Arthur here? Where's Dutch and Micah?"

"Oh, hello Lilly," Mr. Pearson said as he ambled over. "What's wrong?"

Lilly took in a deep breath. "Where is me husband?!" she growled.

"Oh, Arthur. He went with Dutch and Micah to do a 'parley' I set up with the O'Driscoll's. They're meetin' with Colm."

"What?!" she shouted. Just great. "Well, where in the god damn hell are they meetin'? When did they leave?"

"They left about twenty minutes ago. Where the meeting is, I dunno, but-"

"Ya let 'em go without knowin' where the fuck they were goin'?! Fuck!" she shouted. "Brian! James!" she ran over to the tent. Lilly dug around for anything of Arthur's. She grabbed one of his bandanas and raced out of the tent.

"Lilly!" Mr. Pearson shouted. "They're gonna be fine!"

"I did tell them it was a trap!" Hosea said as Lilly passed by. "Where are you goin'?"

"To find me husband! It's mother fuckin' Colm O'Driscoll! Of course it's a god damn trap!" she screeched, jogging over to Liath. Brian and James raced up to her and Lilly gave them a whiff of the bandana. "Get a good sniff, boys. Now, track!"

Lilly got onto her horse as her wolves went running. She kicked Liath's sides and the horse went racing down the trail. Lilly made Liath run as fast as she could and the pups were surprisingly able to keep up. They headed north a ways and eventually crossed over Dewberry Creek. Lilly spotted Dutch and Micah on the way and she whistled for the wolves to return. Brian and James trotted back to her and she slowed down.

"Ah, Mrs. Morgan!" Micah shouted. "You're lookin' well! How are ya?"

Lilly narrowed her eyes at both the men. "Where's Arthur?!"

"I don't know," Dutch said. "He was supposed to meet us by the fork in the road when we were done, but he wasn't there. I'm sure he's just fine."

Lilly shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. "If he didn't meet where ya was supposed tah meet after havin' a meetin' with that schemin' piece of shite Colm, then what makes ya think he's "just fine"?!"

"Well," Dutch said, turned in the saddle to look back. "When you put it that way..."

"Have ya gone daft in yer old fuckin' age, Da?! What the fuck were ya three thinkin'?" Lilly shouted.

"Well, Arthur wasn't exactly for this plan, Lilly," Micah interjected. "He had his doubts."

"Then why didn't ya listen tah him?! Ugh, nevermind. Where did ya last see him?!"

"Just over that hill on the otherside. He was at the cliff with a sharpshooter."

"As ucht Dé! Brian, James! Come!" Lilly went racing up the hill with the wolves close behind her. Lilly spotted a cliff overlooking a small valley and she urged Liath towards it. When she got close, she jumped off the horse and stormed over. Lilly knelt down and dipped her fingers in a small red puddle. Blood. "Oh, Jesus Christ!"

Brian and James barked at her. Lilly looked over at them and saw Micah and Dutch ride up. She stood up and looked around for tracks. Multiple boot prints and a big drag mark. Arthur'd been taken, alright. "What did you find?" Dutch asked.

"Those O'Driscoll fucks took him, Dutch! There's blood and drag marks and a lot of boot prints!" Lilly examined where the prints and marks went to. They went west. Lilly looked at the boys. "Track!" They sniffed around a bit then sped off towards the west. Lilly got on Liath.

"I'm sorry, Lilly," Dutch said. "I-"

"Ya can apologize after we get Arthur back!" Lilly snapped. "Let's go!"

Lilly raced after Brian and James with Micah and Dutch chasing behind her.

* * *

Lilly, her wolves, and the two men tracked Arthur for hours until Lilly spotted campfire smoke off in the distance. Lilly pulled out her binoculars and looked through them. She didn't see much, a lot of trees were in the way, but she did spot Rose. "I see his horse!" Lilly put the binoculars away. "He's definitely there."

"How many men are there, you think?" Micah asked. "Think Brian and James can take some out without gettin' seen?"

"Maybe," she said. "I couldn't see how many there are, but I can tell the camp ain't that big."

"How you wanna go in, Lilly?" Dutch asked. "It's your call."

Suddenly there was a gunshot and Lilly felt all the blood drain out of her face. "Brian! James! Kill!"

The boys charged off towards the camp and the three gang members followed in pursuit. Lilly pulled out her shotgun and as they got close, Lilly heard another gunshot...and a distinctive shout from Arthur. Was she too late? God, please don't let it be too late!

Brian and James leaped through the trees and attacked. Men screamed from being torn apart as Lilly, Micah, and Dutch came around on their horses and started shooting. Lilly jumped off Liath and shot men down one by one. Luckily there weren't that many. But one of them was going for Arthur.

"Shoot the bastard!" another man shouted.

The man aimed at Arthur's head and she ran. "ARTHUR!" James jumped up and tackled the man on the ground before he could get a shot. He screamed and cried as James bit and tore at his flesh. Lilly still ran and as another man went to shoot Arthur, Lilly got to him and aimed her gun at his head. "Put yer god damn gun down, ya cocksucker! Now!"

The man dropped his gun and put his hands up. "Now lady, it wasn't personal."

"Shut up!" Lilly yelled. "Get the feck away from me husband!"

The man backed up but Lilly pursued him. Her gaze was intense, fiery, and angry. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips were tight, and her nostrils flared from the heaviness of her breath. Brian and James went to each side of her, their teeth bared and drooling saliva and blood.

"Oh no, please don't let them eat me!" the man cried out.

"I won't! If ya deliver a message!" Lilly snarled.

"Okay? What's the message?"

"Ya tell that piece of shite Colm that if he ever, EVER, goes after me husband or any of us Dutch van der Lindes again, I will track him down and feed him alive to me wolves! Slowly! Got it?!"

The man nodded. "Lilly," Dutch said. "He's alive."

"How bad is he?" she asked.

"I think he'll live."

"Good. Yer lucky, O'Driscoll," Lilly growled. "If he had died, I definitely woulda fed ya to me wolves! Now git the feck outta here, ya twat!"

The man turned and ran. Brian and James took a step forward but Lilly ordered them to stay. They relaxed. Lilly lowered the shotgun and sighed deeply. She turned and looked down at Arthur. He was in his red long johns. He was beaten, bloody, and had a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Micah and Dutch were looking him over. "Lilly," Micah laughed. "You really are scary, you know that?"

Lilly couldn't help but laugh. Dutch did too. She nodded in agreement then knelt down next to Arthur. He was breathing, but he was unconscious. His gunshot wound was bleeding still. "We gotta stop the bleedin'. Lilly, give me a shell, would ya?" Dutch asked.

Lilly cocked out a shell from her gun and gave it to Dutch. He broke it open and poured gunpowder into the wound. Lilly gave Dutch some matches. "Micah," Lilly said. "Help me hold Arthur down. This might wake him up."

Micah pushed down on Arthur and so did Lilly. Dutch lit a match and held it to Arthur's wound. "Here we go," Dutch said. He lit the powder.

It made a fizzle and a hiss and Arthur yelled out. Yep, he was awake. Micah and Lilly kept him pinned as he struggled but then he calmed down and started coughing. "Jesus Christ," Arthur hissed out. "That hurt."

Lilly chuckled. "Of course it did, ya shite! Ya got shot!"

Micah and Dutch both wheezed out a laugh. "Can you sit, Arthur?" Dutch asked.

"Maybe," Arthur groaned weakly. "I can try."

Lilly, Dutch, and Micah helped Arthur sit up. He wobbled a bit but he managed to keep himself stable. Lilly trotted over to Rose and brought him back over as Dutch and Micah collected Arthur's weapons and clothes. Dutch and Micah helped Arthur on his horse and Lilly patted his leg. "Let's get you home now, so you can get well enough that I won't feel bad about chewin' your ass out."

Arthur chuckled. "You haven't done that."

"No, but I will. I'm gonna curse out these two knuckleheads first."

"I thought you already did?" Micah asked.

Dutch laughed. "Nope. That wasn't even the half of it."

"Well, you helped me get my husband back. I suppose you two get a reprieve. For now," Lilly explained.

The rest of them got on their horses and headed home with the wolves. Lilly silently thanked The Morrigan for helping save her husband's life, even if she was still mad at him.

* * *

"What the hell were ya thinkin', Arthur?!" Lilly said as she began to clean his wound.

"It wasn't my idea. Dutch wanted to."

"Okay. Who had this dumbass idea?"

"Micah." Lilly flicked Arthur's forehead. "Ow!"

"Never listen tah that eejit again, ya hear me?!" Lilly started stitching and Arthur hissed. "Yeah, that'll teach ya! Now lie still or else I'll poke ya in other places, ya dumb fuck!"

All of a sudden, Arthur smiled and laughed. "I've never seen you so maternal and angry at the same time. I love it."

"Shut up and let me concentrate."

"Yes, mo stór."

Lilly smirked a little. "You ain't outta the dog house yet, ya sod!"

"I know, but I am sorry I said all that stupid shit to you."

Lilly sighed and continued stitching. "I'm sorry too, mo grá. But god dammit if ya ain't a pain in me arse. If our kids are anythin' like ya, I will have me hands so bloody full!"

Arthur laughed again. "As will I if they're anythin' like you."

Lilly cut the thread and patched up her husband's wound. "This is true. Anois sosa." _[Now rest.]_

Arthur grabbed Lilly with his good arm and kissed her. "I really am sorry, Lilly."

Lilly kissed him back. "Me too."

They pressed their foreheads together. "Forgiven," they both said.

* * *

Lilly tended to her husband for three weeks after his abduction and shooting. Arthur's shoulder healed nicely, but during that time, she avoided strenuous activities with him so he could rest and recuperate, much to his chagrin. And hers. When Lilly wasn't taking care of him, she was trailing Sean like a hawk. And one day after the three week period, Lilly got wind about a job offer in Rhodes. Micah, Sean, and Bill were the ones that told her and asked about Arthur's health in case he wanted in. Lilly said she'd pass the information along. When she got to the tent, she passed by the newly placed vanity mirror and paused, taking a step back to check out her belly. She lifted her shirts and smiled as she caressed her larger baby bump. She was twelve weeks along now, and Lilly had strange sensations going on in her stomach for the last few days. She could only describe it as a flutter, or gas. She wasn't sure which.

"Hey," Arthur said with a stretch, waking from his nap. "Your baby bump is gettin' bigger. Can't hide that anymore, can you?"

"Not really," Lilly said with a giggle.

She walked over to Arthur who sat up and began to coo at her belly. "Hey there, baby."

Lilly put her hands on her chest and groaned. "Ugh, heart burn."

"Then stop eating candy. You heard what the doctor said. You need more fruits, vegetables, and meat. And milk."

"I know, I know," Lilly mocked and stuck out her tongue. "How's your shoulder?"

"Better. I think I'm good to go on jobs again."

"Good, because we got one in Rhodes. Let's go."

"No no, wait a minute, woman." Arthur stood up and kissed her. "You owe me some lovin', girl."

Lilly wrapped her arms around him and pecked his lips. "Oh, do I now, Mr. Morgan? Tough." Lilly smacked his chest with a chuckle. "We can resume our relations after the job."

Arthur tossed her on the bed and plopped his weight on her. "Nope. I'm not acceptin' that," he said, kissing and biting her neck.

Lilly grunted. "Oof, you heavy bastard! Ya...oooh, oh my, Mr. Morgan. You make a very good argument."

"Yeah, I do, because you miss me just as much as I miss you."

Lilly squinted one eye and lifted one side of her mouth. "Mmm, nope, not really."

Arthur looked at her. "Excuse me?"

Lilly laughed at him. "No, I haven't," she sighed. "You're very much mistaken." Lilly gave him a mischevious smile.

Arthur shifted his lower jaw to one side and squinted his eyes at her. "Is that so?"

Lilly grinned and inclined her head against the bed. "Mmhmm."

Arthur leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Ní chreidim tusa, grá do mo shaol. Tá a fhios agam cé mhéad a chailleann tú mé. Caithfidh mé a bheith ar do shon." _[I do not believe you, love of my life. I know how much you miss me. I have to be in you.]_

Lilly shuddered and leaned her head back with a giggle. "Oh, that's just low."

"Not if it gets me what I want," Arthur said with a husky voice.

Lilly laughed and smacked his arm. "That's exactly why it's so low, ya shite! Because it gets ya what ya want! But darlin', we gotta-"

"Ó, níl, is é mo chúis le cónaí. Lig dom go bhfuil tú. Gheobhaidh mé bás mura bhfuil tú agamsa. _[Oh no, my reason for living. Let me have you. I will die if you do not have me.]_

Lilly shut her eyes and made a low sound. She couldn't resist Arthur when he spoke to her like that. "Fear céile. Grá mo shaol. Mo chroí agus m'anam." _[Husband. Love of my life. My heart and soul.]_

Arthur kissed her passionately. Lilly put her arms around him and moaned into his mouth.

"Lilly, Arthur," Micah said outside their tent. "Are you two doin' it again?"

Arthur lifted his head up. "I haven't had her in three weeks, Micah!" he snapped. "What is it with you fellers always interruptin' us?!"

Lilly laughed. "They don't interrupt us all the time. We ignore them, mostly."

Arthur and Lilly laughed. "Alright, folks," Micah said. "You can play fiddle the pussy cat later because we're goin' with or without you!"

Lilly blew a raspberry and kissed Arthur. "Okay, we're comin'," she groaned. "Arthur, we have to go now," Lilly whispered. "You know about Sean. What will happen to him. I can't let him go without me."

Arthur groaned and let his head fall upon her chest. "Fiiine. But afterwards, I'm makin' up for lost time, Mrs. Morgan."

* * *

Bill, Micah, Sean, Arthur, Lilly, and the boys got to Rhodes quickly. The men and Mrs. Morgan tethered their horses and started walking through town along with the wolves.

"So what's the plan?" Arthur asked.

"We're meetin' a couple of the Grays at the saloon," explained Micah. "They spoke to Bill about a job...needin' security."

"After the farce of stealin' the horses for them, why we doin' this?"

"Cause we need to stay in with them. And they're payin'."

"So what kinda security they want?"

"We're about to find out. Now come on."

"This seem legit to you, Bill?"

"Sure," Bill replied.

"Dutch said we was to keep on dealin' with them until we find this gold," Micah explained.

"Can we trust them?" Sean asked.

"Can we trust anyone?" Arthur added.

"Yeah."

"Let's just see what they have to say," Micah groaned.

Lilly shook her head in amusement. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you was married to my husband, Micah," Lilly laughed. "Ya two always bickerin' and arguin'."

Sean laughed. "Lilly, yous and Arthur bicker and argue harder than I ever seen anyone bicker and argue. No, you two are definitely married."

Lilly laughed as they kept strolling along the road. Lilly looked up just as a crow landed on one of the buildings. It cawed at her. Lilly eyeballed it. Something didn't feel right all of a sudden. She felt a pit deep inside her stomach. Brian and James' hackles raised and they started growling, their ears laying flat on the sides of their heads. She remembered The Morrigan saying something about her crows. Another crow flew by and cawed at her. "The crows," she uttered.

"What's that?" Micah said. They all turned around to look at her. "What about crows?"

Lilly glanced at Arthur. "Arthur. The crows." Arthur looked around and saw what Lilly was looking at. Another crow landed on a building and cawed. Lilly remembered the vision of Sean's death. "...laying on the red dirt." She looked down at the road...the red dirt.

"What are you on about, Lilly?" Bill asked. "Can we just get goin'?"

Lilly looked up at one of the buildings and saw a flicker of light. Sharpshooter. Lilly looked at Sean. He was about to get shot. "Everyone get down!" Lilly yelled. She ran to Sean and tackled him to the ground just as the bullet grazed past them both. Multiple shots were fired. "Go get 'em, boys!"

The boys howled and started going after every lawman and Gray on the ground that was shooting at them all. Lilly dragged Sean behind a wagon and checked him. He was fine. No bullet holes. Lilly sighed in relief and rested her head on his chest.

"You alright, lass?" He asked. "How did ya know what was up?"

Lilly smiled at him and drew out her revolvers. "Just a hunch."

Lilly stood up and started shooting. Sean did as well with his rifle. Lilly saw Bill get shot in the leg. "Ah, shit!" he shouted.

"I'll get him!" Sean yelled. "Cover me, deirfiúr!"

Lilly shot men down as Sean went running to help Bill. Once they were safely behind something, Lilly knelt down to reload her guns. She had no idea where Micah and Arthur were. Lilly heard her wolves yelp behind her and she turned around. They'd gotten caught in traps. "What the fuck?!"

Lilly felt pain in the back of her head and everything when dark.


	40. The Ascension

Lilly's eyes fluttered open and she groaned. There was something wrapped tightly around her neck. Her blurry vision focused on the wooden platform she was standing on, but her feet were bound by rope. Lilly strained against her bounds but found her wrists were tied behind her. How come she couldn't get free? What happened to her super strength? When she saw the logs beneath her feet, she realized the harsh reality of her vision. She was about to be burned at the stake. "Shit," she muttered. She was still in Rhodes, though. Wait, where were her wolves. Where were her men?

"Well, look who's up," an all too familiar British accent sounded behind her.

"...Mr. Pierce?!" she gasped. "But you were in prison!"

"I got out," he said, walking around to face her. "And now we've got you right where we want you."

"We?" she asked in confusion. She looked around at a large amount of men on horses, including Uncle Levi. What the hell was going on? "Uncle Levi? What's happenin'?!"

Levi dismounted and made his way over to her. "I see the artifact you obtained is working well, Joseph. Good work."

Lilly looked at both the men. "Uncle Levi. You're working with him?!"

"Yes, my dear."

"But why?"

"To finish what your father failed to do."

Lilly was so confused. "My father?"

"Yes. You see, my dear, he was a Freemason. As am I, Mr. Pierce, and the men you see around you. Your father killed the goddess Adair, but she unfortunately didn't stay dead. And, well, your father kept her hidden."

Lilly blinked. "I don't understand. What does this got to do with me?"

"Mr. Cornwall, we're ready," a random man came up from behind.

"Wait, where's Arthur?"

Levi sighed. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid he wouldn't want to see this particular moment. You need to be burned alive, I'm afraid."

"But Uncle Levi, you can't! I'm pregnant, for chrissakes!"

Mr. Pierce looked at her. "What? That's impossible. You said you were barren!"

"I was! Until The Morrigan brought me back from the god damn dead after you tortured and poisoned me! I do believe she-nevermind, just check my stomach! I'm twelve weeks along!"

Mr. Pierce lifted her shirts and gasped. "Sir, we can't go through with this now! We can't kill an innocent!"

"I'm afraid we have to, Joseph," Levi said sadly. "As tragic as it is, we can't let Lilly live. We can't let her ascend."

Mr. Pierce lowered his head. "...Yessir."

Levi frowned. "For what it's worth, I am sorry, my dear."

Lilly continued to struggle. "Ascend? What the fuck do you mean ascend?!"

Levi walked away and Mr. Pierce frowned. "I am sorry," he said regretfully.

Lilly spit in his face. "Fuck you!"

Mr. Pierce grabbed a hanky and wiped his face. "Brutus, light the logs."

* * *

Arthur shook his head and paced back and forth in his cell with Micah, Bill, and Sean. Sheriff Gray was in his chair, drinking moonshine with Deputy McGregor. The wolves were bound tightly in the other cell. They'd been heavily sedated.

"Where is my wife?" Arthur growled.

"Oh shut up," Gray said. "It'll all be over soon."

"What will be all over soon?"

Sheriff Gray sighed. "See, Leviticus Cornwall informed us that your wife is a witch and needs to be burned at the stake."

Arthur stopped pacing. "What?!" He banged on the bars. "Leviticus Cornwall is going to burn my wife?!"

"Yes."

Arthur started to panic and look around for something, anything to try and break himself out of there. He started kicking the bars. Sean, Micah, and Bill started kicking too. "You can't do this! She's pregnant!"

"Yes, we know. All the more reason to burn her. Witches tend to have the devil's offspring."

"That's not the devil! She'a not a witch! That's my child!" Arthur sobbed. "You!" Arthur kicked. "Can't!" He kicked again. "Kill!" Another kick. "Them!"

"Oh, but we can," McGregor said. "You see, we-" Suddenly there was a long, loud scream outside. "Ah, there she goes. Let's go see."

The two lawmen got up and opened the door. Arthur could see in the distance a burning blaze and his wife screaming loudly, though her shout was subdued for some reason. But watching her for that split moment broke his heart into pieces and he collapsed to his knees as the door shut. "Oh my God..." Arthur broke into tears and started bashing the ground with his fists. "No! NO NO NO!"

Sean started hitting the bars again. "They can't do this!"

"This is horseshit!" Micah. "Burnin' a pregnant woman at the stake? That ain't right."

The door opened and Gray amd McGregor came running in. They slammed the door shut and pulled out their guns. "Did you see that?!" Gray snapped fearfully.

"I did! What the hell kind of witch can withstand fire and change clothes like that?!" McGregor responded with a shaky voice.

Arthur looked up. "What?" Was his wife alive?

There were blood curdling screams outside of men dying and the lawmen backed up in the building. There were sounds of crashes and gunshots raining down outside and it didn't subside for at least a few minutes, but then there was silence. Suddenly the door came flying off the hinges and Lilly walked in, only it wasn't Lilly. It was someone who looked like her, but Arthur could tell from the bloodthirsty fire in her eyes that this was not his wife. She wore her auburn hair in variously sized Celtic knot braids. Her feet were bare and she wore a fire red skirt designed with black celtic knots on the edges, the skirt being slit at the right thigh. A black trinity knotted belt was wrapped around her hips. She wore a red and black type of strapless corset that was laced with black string in the middle, and her midriff was exposed, but it showed Lilly's obvious pregnancy. Black leather straps were wrapped around her forearms all the way down to her wrists. She had brass trinity knot clasps on her biceps. And the woman had a sword in her hand, and she was covered in blood along with black and red face paint. No, this woman was definitely not his wife.

She pointed a finger at the two lawmen. "You," she said in double toned voices, though clearly one was Lilly's voice. "Let them out," she said, motioning to Arthur and the rest of the prisoners.

"W-What?" Gray stuttered with wide eyes.

The woman growled, walked over to the cell door and ripped it right off with one hand. Arthur and the rest backed up from the action. The strangely attired woman was then shot at by the officers but the bullets only bounced off her. She laughed maniacally. "I am immortal, you fools! Your weapons do not work on me!"

Lilly, or the one who looked like Lilly, took her blood stained sword and with one quick step and a stroke, decapitated both the men. She sheathed it and took the door off the other cell and smiled. "Tá mo shoitheach, do dheartháireacha ina gcóna. _[My vessel, your brothers are alive.]_

"Vessel? Brothers? What?" Arthur marched out of the cage and grunted. "Who are you?! And where the fuck is my wife?!"

The immortal being looked at Arthur with amusement. "Ah, husband of my vessel. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Arthur said. "Cé hé tusa? Cá bhfuil mo bhean chéile?" Arthur asked. _[Who are you? Where is my wife?]_

"Is é mo ainm Adair. Do bean chéile mo shoitheach." _[My name is Adair. Your wife is my vessel.]_

"What did she say?" Micah asked.

"Her name is Adair and my wife is her vessel," Arthur translated. "The baby?" Arthur motioned to her stomach.

Adair looked down, chuckled, and nodded at Arthur. "Sábháilte," she said. _[Safe.]_

Arthur blew a sigh of relief. "An féidir liom labhairt le mo bhean chéile? Le do thoil?" _[Can I talk to my wife? Please?]_

Adair smiled and a light enveloped the woman. When it disappeared, Lilly appeared in her regular gunslinger outfit. She looked down at herself. "What in the ever lovin' feck just happened?!"

Arthur smiled, grabbed Lilly, and held her close. "I thought you died again. I saw you burnin', Lilly."

Lilly hugged Arthur and sobbed. "I thought I was dead too, but The Morrigan came. She saved me again! But oh, it hurt so much, Arthur! It hurt so fuckin' much!"

Arthur shut his eyes. "Ó, mo ghrá álainn. Tá tú sábháilte. Tá tú beo." _[Oh, my beautiful love. You are safe. You are alive.]_

Lilly looked at the wolves. "What happened to them?"

"God damn assholes put them to sleep," Bill snarled.

Lilly went and knelt down to them. "Oh, my poor boys. Um...oh." Lilly started biting a fingernail in frustration. "WAKE UP!"

The boys whined as the opened their eyes. Lilly sighed with relief. "Lilly, honey, what the hell happened out there?"

Lilly stood up as the boys got to their feet. "God damn Uncle Levi and Mr. Pierce wanted to burn me alive! To prevent my "ascension", whatever the fuck that means! One minute I'm bein' burned alive, next thing I know, I have no control over my mother fuckin' body and I'm killin' the fuck out of everybody, bullets were just not hurtin' me at all...ugh! I got real dizzy! In fact, I'm still dizzy!" Lilly held her forehead and wobbled.

Arthur held onto her and cradled her in his arms. "Easy, I got you. But this was your Uncle Levi's doin'?!"

"Yep."

"Well, did you get him!?"

"No. He got away, along with Mr. Pierce and Brutus."

"Dammit! I take it Mr. Pierce was in league with this asshole all along. God dammit!"

Lilly kissed her husband on the cheek then rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm tired. Can we go home now? I really need...my...beauty sleep..." Lilly yawned and shut her eyes.

"Lillian?" When she didn't answer, Arthur sighed. "Alright boys, let's go home."

The wolves went bounding out as the rest of the men looked around outside. There was blood everywhere, and dead bodies. Some were even cut into several different pieces. Sean stared out at the dirt roads, flabbergasted. "Just what the fuck did Lilly do?"

"Not Lilly. Adair," Arthur laughed. He didn't care who did what. He didn't even care that his wife became another person...again. He was just glad she was alive. He kissed his sleeping spouse on the head. "You are one lucky woman."

* * *

Lilly woke up on the way back to camp in Arthur's arms on Rose and she frowned, nuzzling into him. "I was scared, Arthur. I was so scared for our baby."

"Well, that Adair said the baby was safe. You mind tellin' me what...the..."

Lilly turned around in the saddle to see people gathered around Dutch's tent. "Meeting?"

"I guess." Arthur dismounted along with the rest of the group and helped Lilly down. "C'mon, let's go see."

Lilly took his hand and hobbled down. "Oof. Arthur, I might need help walking."

Arthur put an arm around her and they walked. Lilly eyed Sean, Micah and Bill, who were looking at her in awe. "What?"

"Nothin'," Micah said with a smile. "You're just...you're a badass, Lilly."

Lilly laughed. "Thanks."

Arthur stopped. "Hey. For now, what happened with Lilly stays with us, alright?"

"I agree," Sean said. The other two men agreed as well and they continued their slow gait.

"We are doin' all we can," Dutch said to folks. He spotted Arthur and the rest of the Rhodes Massacre entourage. "Have you seen the boy Jack?" he asked as he approached. He looked at Lilly. "What happened to you?"

"It's a long story," Lilly said. "But what's this about Jack?"

"Where's my god damn son?" Abigail shouted at Dutch as she marched over. "Where is he? Where's my son?! They took him, didn't they? They took my son!"

"Who took him?" Arthur asked.

"We think the Braithwaite woman took him," Hosea said as he came over. "That Kieran saw a couple of fellers soundin' like Braithwaite boys."

"Where's my son? If anythin'...I...where is my son, Dutch van der Linde?!" Abigail demanded.

"We will find him, we will bring him back to you, and we will kill any fool who had the temerity to touch one hair on that boy's head," Dutch claimed. "Abigail, you have my word," he said with a clenched fist.

Lilly rubbed her face. The Braithwaites took her nephew, but why? "Just get back my son!" Abigail commanded.

Dutch started walking toward The Count along with Arthur, Lilly, John, and Sean. "I will get that boy back, so help me God! Right now!"

"Dutch, we just heard about Jack!" Bill said, holding a gun. "You need some extra guns?"

"Yeah, why not? Micah, Kieran, anyone strange turns up, you kill 'em! Rest of you, let's ride!"

Lilly mounted up with narrowed eyes. "I am goin' tah kill that woman," she growled.

Arthur smiled. "That's my girl."

* * *

The armed group made their way towards the avenue of Braithwaite Manor. Lilly was mad, but she also felt guilty. If she had left Brian and James back at camp, this would not have happened. And she knew something bad was going to happen to Jack...maybe. Lilly wasn't sure what, but she...Lilly shook her head. She had to focus, like the rest of them, on getting her nephew back.

"Okay, get your heads right," Dutch ordered. "Nobody makes a move until I say so."

Lilly looked down at her wolves. Thank God they weren't in bad shape after their ordeal. In fact, they seemed invigorated as if they knew exactly what was going on. Arthur addressed Lilly. "You sure you're alright to do this, Lilly?"

"I'm more than alright," she said. "I'm fuckin' motivated!"

"Ha! That's my girl!"

"Alright everyone, dismount and come to me!" Dutch shouted. "We'll go in on foot from here."

They all slowed their horses and trotted over by the arch of the property. Lilly dismounted, grabbed her repeater, slung it to her back, and spoke to the wolves. "Get your game faces on, boys."

The pair bared their teeth and growled, their hackles raised. "First Lilly, now Jack. We shoulda stayed outta all of this," Lenny commented.

"And yet here I am," Lilly replied, pulling out her revolvers and checking they were fully loaded. "Jack will be fine too."

"Quiet, we're goin' to fix this right now," Dutch said. "C'mon, let's get this done. John, you sure you're okay?" Dutch asked, stopping John from walking.

"Like I said, I'm fine," John replied.

Dutch pulled out his guns. "Follow my lead." They all trailed after Dutch down the gravel path. "Both these redneck families think they can ruin us? I don't think so."

As they got closer to the house, some men started coming out of the house. "There they are," Hosea said.

"Who steals a god damn boy?"

"I'm gonna let fly at those sons of bitches!" John snapped.

Lilly was impressed. She had no idea how much feeling John actually had for the boy, especially when he always denied Jack being his son.

"John, I need you to stay calm."

The group ambled closer to the manor. Lilly tightened her brow, giving a look of intense anger. The boys still snarled while showing their sharp fangs. They were even drooling. Lilly chuckled at them. "Patience, my boys. You'll get your fill soon enough."

"Get down here now! You inbred trash!" Dutch shouted.

"What the hell do you want?" one of the Braithwaite men asked.

The Van der Linde group kept walking with their guns out. John was impatient and started walking faster but Hosea held him back a bit. "Easy, John."

Everyone except Dutch stopped walking. "We've come for the boy. You must've known we would."

"You shouldn't have messed with our business now, should you?" another man said.

More men ambled out to meet them, and Lilly looked over at her husband. "Are you alright for this, Mr. Morgan?" she whispered.

Arthur chuckled and looked at her. "I'm fuckin' motivated."

"Whatever complaint you have with us, alleged or otherwise," Dutch belted smoothly, "that is a young boy. That is not the way you do things. Hand him over."

"Get the hell off our land!" a man shouted.

The veranda doors opened up as well as the front doors. More men came walking out.

"If you ain't gonna be civilized about this..." Dutch started. He and everyone else began the battle.

"Go get 'em!" Lilly shouted to her wolves.

Brian and James went running about, avoiding gunfire and already tackling down prey. They were smart and quick not to linger in one place, as per usual. The fight didn't last long. They had been outnumbered, but their tenacity and skill was stronger; better. All the enemies outside were shot down or had their throats ripped open.

"Arthur, John, Hosea, with me!" Dutch said. "The rest of you, watch out here for any other arrivals."

Lilly stayed out with the rest as her Da, Athair, John, and her husband invaded the home. She walked over to Sean with Brian and James. "You okay, deartháir? Things got a little, uh," Lilly scratched her temple," a little heated back there in Rhodes."

Sean let out a deep giggle. "I can't believe you're already makin' jokes about that."

"Of course I am. Would you expect anythin' different from me?"

"No, I suppose not. But..." he leaned over to her. "Thank you...for savin' me life, Lilly."

Lilly slapped his shoulder lightly. "You're welcome, Sean."

Charles pointed towards the darkness. "We got more comin' in!"

The men and Lilly bunkered down behind cover. Lilly whistled to her boys. "Stalk and kill."

Brian and James went out into the darkness to do their jobs. Lilly and the rest shot down enemies quickly as the wolves scared the cripes out of the cart horses and made the wagons tip over. Brian and James went to town on any poor sap too slow to get up. Lilly grabbed the repeater off her back and took aim at some men running in from the right. Lilly whistled for her boys again. They came running back to her and she pointed to the orchard. "Go get 'em!"

They did as they were told. They tore through the Braithwaite men like a hot knife through butter and Lilly smiled with pride.

"They're runnin'!" Lilly heard Arthur yell from the balcony. "Ooh, boy," he looked down at her with a smirk. "I don't know if they're runnin' from the boys or you!"

Lilly laughed. "Just...just go get wee Jack, please, so he can ride one of the boys back to camp."

She whistled and the giant white wolves came back to her side. Lilly regrouped with the rest of the cavalry. It wasn't long until she heard a wailing, screaming woman inside the house. Lilly chuckled and looked at Sean. All the other men vacated the house, Dutch having Catherine over his shoulder. She was still wailing and crying about. "Put me down!" she growled at Dutch. "You damn Yankee!"

Dutch dropped her by everyone else. "There you go."

"I never liked you," Catherine said to Hosea."

"Why'd ya take the boy, Mrs. Braithwaite?" Hosea questioned.

"You stole my liquor!"

"Boys are off limits!"

"You stole my horses! Ain't no rules in war, Mr..."

"Matthews."

"Yes...yes, that's it," she sobbed as Dutch aimed a gun at her. She looked up at him.

"Where's the boy?" Hosea asked.

The old woman shifted around to sit up. "My sons gave him to Angelo Bronte," she warbled.

Lilly's heart jumped into her throat at that name, then her eyes narrowed. Her hands balled into fists, her respiration went through the roof, and Lilly felt the whole world slip away, only seeing the Braithwaite woman. The boys snarled at the mention of the man's name. She approached the woman angrily. "Ya did what?" she asked incredulously.

"He's either in Saint Denis or on a boat to Italy, Wolf Witch!"

Lilly bent down and grabbed the woman's shirt collar and yanked her up. "Ya gave me nephew tah Angelo fuckin' Bronte?!"

Lilly was seeing red, and her fists clenched hard. She was in a horrible, powerful rage. Angelo Bronte. He had Jack. Who knows what that god damn man would do to her nephew. "Do you know this man, Lilly?" Dutch asked.

Lilly was not going to get into a discussion. Not about this. "Only by reputation!" she said. She turned her face to Sean. The look she gave Sean was all he needed to catch her drift. Brian and James snarled up to Lilly's side, wanting to kill, to pounce. "Boys! Enough!" they relaxed, but Lilly did not relax herself. "This bitch is mine!" Lilly said with a fierce snarl.

Lilly let go of the old woman and stood. Lilly took out her revolver and shot both of Mrs. Braithwaite's knees caps. Catherine screamed out in agony. Lilly holstered her gun, stalked to the woman's side, and smashed her boot down on one knee. Lilly heard bones fracture and crunch, even when Catherine Braithwaite's screams got louder and more high pitched. Lilly shifted a bit and repeated the cruel and heart-stopping action to the lady's other knee. Both legs were twisted and maimed at the knees, bending at awkward angles.

"Lilly!" Dutch shouted. "What are you doing?!"

Lilly reached into her satchel, pulled out a bottle of whiskey, lifted Mrs. Braithwaite by her shift, took the cork out with her own teeth, and poured it all over the hag. Lilly was furious. She was going to burn this crying, wicked bitch alive. The old lady struggled and sputtered as the liquid flowed down her face. Lilly spit out the cork and tossed the bottle when it was empty, then started dragging Catherine when Dutch clutched her arm. "Lillian!"

Lilly dropped Catherine, yanked out her gun once more, pivoted to face her adoptive father, and aimed the gun at Dutch's head. He flinched back a step. Lilly glared at him intensely. "Dunna ya do it, Van der Linde!" Lilly belted out through her teeth. "Dunna try tah stop me, or I'll shoot ya! Ya hear me?! BACK THE FUCK UP! NOW!" her booming voice was a mixture of a screech and a growl.

"Jesus Christ," she heard Arthur say. The rest of the men couldn't even speak, they were so petrified. The night was filled with Catherine's agonizing screams of pain, and Lilly took her foot and twisted it into one of the old woman's knee caps, keeping her deranged eyes on Dutch. Arthur took a step towards his wife. "Lilly, put-"

"Dunna test me, Morgan. I damn well bloody mean it!"

"Lilly, darlin', think about what you're doing here. This is...we don't torture people, remember?" he said, trying to reason with her. "She don't deserve this."

Lilly turned the gun on Arthur. "Dunna tell me what she deserves! Ya dun know what kinda man Bronte is! This is not a feckin' negotiation, Morgan. BACK THE FUCK OFF! BOTH OF YA!" Lilly took out her other gun and aimed at Dutch and Arthur separately, clicking the hammers back on her guns. "I _wilna_ say it again," she warned. "Back. Off."

Dutch put his hands up and backed away. He looked horrified. "Okay, okay..." Arthur took a few steps backwards.

Lilly growled, put the hammers back in place, holstered the guns, and looked down at the alcohol soaked, still wailing about old hag. Lilly resumed dragging her across the ground. Lilly proceeded to curse the woman, snarling and growling like a wild animal as she walked.

"May the Devil take yer feckin' last shillin'! May the gates of fuckin' Paradise never open tah ya! May the god damn Devil cut off yer head and make a jolly fuckin' day's work of yer god damn neck!"

She dragged the old lady up the steps with a 'clunk, clunk, clunk'. Mrs. Braithwaite was still howling in pain, her knee caps broken and bleeding. When they reached the door, Lilly wrapped her hand around the woman's throat and picked her up with just the one arm. Catherine was surprisingly light, but then again, Mrs. Braithwaite was an old woman, thin, frail, and tiny. Lilly stared into her face, fire reflecting in the Irish woman's eyes. Lilly breathed hard, bringing the lady's face close to hers.

"Ya gave me nephew tah a monster, Mrs. Braithwaite," Lilly growled. When the woman, still crying, didn't respond, Lilly took one step inside the door frame. "BURN, YA FUCKIN' CUNT!" Lilly threw the old lady into the raging blaze.

Lilly took a step back and watched as Catherine caught on fire, burning and screaming. Lilly was so fucking enraged that she watched with pleasure. She was going to make sure this old hag burned. Catherine Braithwaite jostled around, screeching and wailing for her sons. If Angelo even thought of touching Jack, Lilly was going to feed him alive to her wolves. Very, very slowly. Catherine stopped moving and screaming. Lilly turned around and tilted her head, cracking her neck. She stormed down the steps. Her face was still twisted in a look of rage. Eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring as she breathed, lips tightened close. Lilly's hands were surprisingly relaxed.

All the men were either staring at her in horror or shock from the barbarity of her actions. Lilly was certain none could look at her the same ever again, but she didn't care. This was much bigger than them, and it had nothing to do with them. This was a long time coming and she was done waiting. She walked quickly past them all, not glancing at any one of them. "Where are you goin'?" Javier asked.

"To Saint fuckin' Denis!" she shouted.

Lilly felt an arm grab her. "Lillian!" Sean exclaimed. "We need a plan first. You can't just go walkin' in there, even with your...you know."

"I dunna care! Jack needs tah be rescued!"

Sean put his hands on Lilly's shoulders. "Lillian, we will get him back but you have to think of the baby, okay?"

Lilly looked over at Arthur. He looked severely pissed. "Alright, but we need tah hurry. You know what kind of man he is."

Sean nodded. "We will get Jack back before he does anythin'. But remember, he has a price on yer head," Sean whispered. "Ya need to be careful, love."

* * *

_7-year-old Lilly, in her tattered yellow and white dress, was in the back of the carriage with her brother Brian. It was raining and storming out. They both had their hands bound with rope. Lilly was crying. Brian tried to get something through to her._

_"Deirfiúr beag, is gá dom rud éigin a dhéanamh an-tábhachtach. Ceart go leor?" he whispered._ _[Little sister, I need you to do something very important. Okay?]_

_"Okay," she sniffled. Lightning flashed._

_"Glacann tú an scian seo. Cosnaíonn tú tú féin leis. Is cuma cad a dhéanann na fir seo liom, ritheann tú nuair a fhaigheann tú an deis. Mharaíonn tú iad más gá. Ach ní féidir leat ligean dóibh filleadh tusa go Bronte. Ceart go leor?" Brian whispered again and thunder boomed. He took a knife from his boot and stuffed it into Lilly's boot._ _[You take this knife. You defend yourself with it. No matter what these men do with me, you run when you get the chance. You kill them if necessary. But you cannot let them return you to Bronte. Okay?]_

_"Yes, big brother."_

_"Promise me, little one."_

_"I promise." Lightning struck again. The carriage stopped. Thunder clashed._

_"Is breá liom tú, deirfiúr beag. Ach ritheann tú. Aimsigh Sean. Mura ndéanann tú, rithfidh tú chuig an Uasal agus Bean Bartleby, ceart go leor?_ _[I love you, little sister. But you run. Find Sean. If you don't, you will run to Mr. and Mrs. Bartleby, all right?]_

 _"Is féidir. Is breá liom tú freisin, deartháir mór. Ach cad a dhéanfaidh siad leat? Nó dom?"_ _[I can. I also love you, big brother. But what will they do with you? Or me?]_

_The doors opened and both the O'Callaghan children were pulled out aggressively by Travis and Steven Hilltop. They were taken to an alley and dragged around various corners as the rain dropped down. Lightning flashed again and thunder shook Lilly on the inside. She was held by Travis as Steven put Brian against the brick wall. Steven punched Brian in the face._

_"No!" Lilly screamed and wriggled. "Leave me brother alone!"_

_The beating went on for quite some time, but Lilly didn't know why Brian wouldn't fight back. She kept screaming and crying out his name, and the lightning and thunder blasted through the skies. The ground had blood droplets in the puddles of water. Blow after blow, Brian took them all without much more than a whimper. He never cried or screamed. But Lilly did. Everytime Steven Hilltop beat her brother, kicked him, punched him, she cried._

_Brian laid on the ground, his face beyond recognition. He shivered and coughed up blood. Steven took a step back and cackled. "He's tough for a Mick, ain't he?" Steven cackled._

_"I think his little brat of a sister is tougher," Travis commented. "Did ya see what she did to Bronte?"_

_"I did!" Steven laughed. "Sick man, but he pays well enough, don't he? Here, give me the girl. Shoot the boy."_

_Lilly kicked Steven in the leg. "Ya stop it now, ya bastards!" she shouted._

_Steven slapped her and she cried out, falling to the ground. He went and yanked Lilly up by her hair. "Now now, Miss O'Callaghan, put those claws away. If you're nice, we won't hit ya again."_

_Lilly growled at him. "Do yer worst tah me, ya dumb shite bag!"_

_Travis laughed and yanked out his pistol. "What a fiesty kid. I kinda hope she grows up to be this way. If Bronte lets her live that long."_

_Lilly ignored what the men were saying. She only focused on her crumpled, broken brother on the ground. Brian reached a hand out to her and grabbed her boot. He looked up into his sister's blue eyes with his green ones._

_"Rith, deirfiúr beag. Ná lig dóibh a ghlacadh tusa," Brian wheezed out._ _[Run, little sister. Do not let them take you.]_

 _Lilly nodded at him, tears in her eyes. "Geallaim, deartháir mór."_ _[I promise, big brother.]_

_Travis sighed and aimed his pistol. "Now be a good girl and watch." Travis pulled the trigger and the bullet hit Brian's skull. Lilly screamed and cried. Travis bent down and went through Brian's coat. "I'll be takin' this now, brother," Travis said, pulling out the O'Callaghan family pocketwatch._

_Lilly glared at Travis as he took her family heirloom from the corpse of her brother. Lilly looked back at her dead brother and cried._

_"Travis, let's go."_

_"Wait! I want tah say goodbye! Let me hold me brother fer a moment! Please!" Lilly cried._

_Travis and Steven shrugged. "Fine, go."_

_Lilly dropped down to her knees and held Brian's body with one arm. She remembered her promise. Run. Do not let them take her back to that house. Lilly slowly pulled out Brian's knife from her boot and kept it hidden. Steven went around the corner and Travis picked her up. "Alright, back to Papa now."_

_Lilly stabbed Travis in the thigh and he yelled out. She yanked it out and ran away from the man in the opposite direction._

_"Shit! Get after that little b_ _itch! Now!"_


	41. Good Boys

Lilly, in a white nightshift, sat on the bed holding her knees to her chest. The boys were on their bear skinned rug on the floor, asleep. It was the middle of the night but Arthur hadn't come in yet. Lilly didn't think he would. She'd been sitting up thinking he would never want her again after what she did. All she wanted right now was for Arthur hold her, kiss her, tell her everything would be fine. But she didn't see how any of it would be fine again. Lilly sighed and shut off the lantern. She had to try and sleep. There was no point staying up all night worrying about it. Lilly laid down on her side and pulled a blanket on top of her. She shut her eyes. Lilly laid there for a long time, but could not sleep. She was unaware of how much time had passed when she heard Arthur come in. Lilly listened as he moved around, declothed, sat on the bed, and pulled the blanket over him. Lilly didn't move, didn't make a noise. She heard Arthur let out a big sigh. Lilly knew he wanted to ask about what happened. Lilly didn't know how she could talk about it. Any of it. Why couldn't he understand how hard this was for her?

"Are you awake, Lillian?" he asked.

Lilly took a moment before she responded. "Yes."

"I take it you don't want to talk about what happened tonight? About you pullin' a gun on me and Dutch? About what you did to Mrs. Braithwaite?"

Lilly chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, I'm glad those are the things on your mind."

Arthur groaned. "Well, what else would be?"

Lilly sat up, turned on the lantern, and looked at him. "How about the fact that I was burned alive at the god damn stake and ended up...ascendin', whatever the fuck that means? And that I prevented Sean's death from happening? Those don't seem like more pressin' topics for you?"

Arthur sat up and glared at her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Wolf Witch. How thoughtless of me. I didn't realize threatenin' to kill me and Dutch was such a trivial issue!"

"I didn't threaten tah kill ya, I threatened tah shoot ya! And don't ever call me that again, ya prick!"

"That's mild compared to what I wanna call you, Lillian!"

"Then call me anythin' but that, Arthur!"

"Psycho!"

"Arsehole!"

"Bitch!"

"Twat!" Brian and James barked at them both. They pawed both the fighting humans. Lilly sighed and patted Brian. "Sorry, boys."

Arthur got a lick from James and chuckled. "You're a good boy."

"I don't think they like us fightin'."

"I don't like us fightin', neither."

Lilly gave Brian a kiss on the muzzle. "Look, Arthur, I...there's just things you don't know about me, about my childhood. I've told you this."

"Can you tell me a small part, Lilly? You been doin' that a little bit."

"I dunno if I can about this."

"Oh Jesus Christ, Lillian! Come on! Give me somethin'!"

"If yer just gonna yell at me," she growled, looking for clean clothes, "then I ain't gonna tell ya."

Arthur got up and grabbed her arm. "Don't you dare walk out on me, Lillian Rose Morgan!"

"Then stop fuckin' yellin' at me!" she snapped, tears in her eyes. "If ya knew why this was so hard fer me, ya wouldna be such a fuckin' dick about it!"

Arthur huffed. "Boys, out." Brian and James padded our of the tent.

"Nice to know ya ain't bothered by me dyin' a third time!" Lilly snapped, tryin' to derail him from the subject she didn't want to discuss.

"Don't start that shit with me! You know damn well it bothered me!"

"Then act like it, ya unfeelin' fuck!"

Arthur picked her up and kissed her. Lilly was still mad but she grabbed him anyway. He tossed her on the bed and crawled on top of her. Arthur resumed kissing his wife and Lilly kissed her husband back as Arthur spread her legs open. "Unfeelin' fuck? I'll show you how unfeelin' I am," he entered her and pinned her arms above her head. "You're a pain in the ass!"

"So are you!" Lilly shouted.

Arthur began thrusting into her and squeezed her breast. "You god damn...god damn...god dammit, woman! You feel so good!" He lifted her shift, bent down and suckled her nipple.

Lilly bent her head back and put her legs around his waist. "Ya feckin'...as ucht Dé, Arthur, deeper!" she gasped.

Arthur went to her other nipple and put his hand on her hip. He slammed into her deeper and his pace increased. "Fuuuuck, Lillian!" he growled.

"God, Arthur, don't ya know how much I need ya?" she moaned out. "How much I love ya? I can't live without ya!" Lilly rolled him over on his back, sat up, and straddled him, grinding and pushing herself up and down on him.

Arthur put both his palms on her hips and looked up at her. "And you think I could live without you?" he sat up, kissed her, took her night dress off, and held her. "Never."

Lilly hugged him to her chest, still pivoting her hips. She put on hand behind Arthur's head and the other on his cheek, kissing him hard. Arthur put both hands in her hair. They breathed through their noses as they kept their lips locked upon each other. Lilly hastened her movements, and eventually, she felt an orgasm approach. It washed over her and she moaned in Arthur's mouth. He soon came after with a strained groan. They both took shallow, rapid breaths as sweat clung to their skin.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," she whispered, putting her forehead to his. "I'm so sorry."

"Forgiven. I'm sure you are sorry, Mrs. Morgan," he kissed her chin. "But not as sorry as you will be."

Lilly glanced down at him. "What?"

He reached over, turned out the light, and directed Lilly onto her back. "Three weeks, woman. I ain't done with you yet."

* * *

The next morning, Hosea, John, Dutch, Lilly, and Arthur were gathered around a table discussing the situation with Jack. Lilly was surprised she was allowed in on it until Dutch mentioned he couldn't find a more fierce and capable person than she to get Jack safely returned to Abigail. And Lilly was more than ecstatic about the compliment.

"It's gonna work out, John," Hosea said. "It's gonna work out, listen to Dutch."

"I don't expect you to understand this but I have never been more proud of you than I am right now, brother," said Dutch. "You're doin' the right thing."

"If I don't get that boy back safe," John started to say, "I'm...she...she'll kill us all."

"I know, but lookin' at this logically, that boy is fine. They took him to scare us. Nobody takes a boy to harm him."

"He's right, John," Hosea said.

"What do you think, Lilly? What kind of reputation does this Bronte fellow have?"

Lilly glanced at Arthur, then at John. She didn't want to scare the man, but she had to say something. She looked back at Dutch. "He's a mob boss. Owns most of Saint Denis, from what I remember. Has his hand in almost everyone's pockets. The police, the mayor, the bank...he's got a lot of boys on the streets as his eyes and ears. Nothin' happens in Saint Denis without that fucker knowin', so he'll know we're comin'. And..." Lilly rubbed her face and leaned back.

"And?"

"There were...rumors. He takes in homeless and orphaned children all the time. Clothes them, feeds them, spoils them...but I ain't heard anythin' bad happenin' to boys," Lilly massaged her temples.

The men glanced at each other. "But you heard things about girls he took in?"

Lilly's fist tightened under the table. How could she say this without bursting into tears? "Nothin' concrete, but...let's just say it was rumored he had an 'appetite' for a little girl. Just the one."

"How little?"

"As far as I know, she was..." Lilly shut her eyes. She hated this, but she wasn't really lying. She was omitting some truths. "...she was 7-years-old."

"Jesus Christ," Arthur said. "And that's why you...burned Mrs. Braithwaite?"

"Yes," Lilly said.

"Do you know anythin' else, Lilly?" Hosea asked.

Lilly scowled and put her back to them, crossing her arms. "Yes."

"What?"

She should tell them. There was no getting around it, but if they knew, they'd never let her go near the place. Not with the bounty on her. No, she had to save Jack first and while she trusted her family, she most certainly didn't trust Bronte. Telling them Angelo Bronte was "Papa" would have to wait. She sighed casually. "He's Italian. That's all I know," she lied. Lilly turned back around and glanced at Arthur. His looked furious.

"And you say you don't know him," Arthur pried.

Lilly's jaw tightened then relaxed. "Never met the man." Her blue eyes were still glued to Arthur. Why was he so mad? Arthur's eyes were making her feel uneasy. She looked at John. "Anyway, even if the rumor is true, Jack isn't in any real danger. But I don't want to waste any time gettin' him back."

"So how do we find him?" John asked.

"Well," Lilly chuckled. "Lucky for you, I know where the man lives."

"You do?"

"Of course. All the kids knew where he lived. Big old house. Guarded, and with walls. But, even if you show up unannounced, he'll talk to you, I'm sure."

"Well," Dutch slapped his hand on the table and got up. "You're gonna come with us. Make the introductions as a former citizen of Saint Denis."

Lilly nodded. She'd have to brave the lion's den to get to her nephew and she had no qualms about that. She looked down at her belly. She'd have to hide it. "Just don't mention my pregnancy."

"Why on earth would I do that?"

"In case you have to engage in polite conversation with the man."

"Hey, Dutch!" Lenny shouted. "We got a problem!"

"Not a problem," Agent Milton said as he strolled into their camp with Agent Ross behind him. "Visitors. A solution. Good day, fine people. Mr. Van der Linde. Mr. Matthews, I presume," Milton looked at John. "And who are you?"

John stood up. "Rip Van Winkle," he replied. Lilly held back a giggle.

"Huh...good day, sir. Agent Milton, Pinkerton Detective Agency. Agent Ross," the man pointed back to his associate. Arthur strolled up to the agent. "Ah, Mr. Morgan. Nice to see you again. And, oh," Mr. Milton glanced over at Lilly. "Mrs. Morgan. Nice to see you too."

Lilly grunted, went around the table, and walked up to stand next to Arthur. "Shame I canna say the same."

"Well, isn't that cute?" Milton laughed.

"And to what do we owe the pleasure?" Dutch asked from behind the Morgans. "Agent Moron?"

"I don't know if you're aware, but this," Agent Milton spoke. "This is a civilized land now. We didn't kill all them savages only to allow the likes of you to act like human dignity and basic decency was outmoded or not yet invented. This thing...it's done."

"This place...ain't no such thing as civilized," Dutch said angrily, walking towards Milton. "It's man, so in love with greed, he has forgotten himself and only found appetites."

"And as a consequence that lets you take what you please, kill whom you please, and hang the rest of us? Who made you the messiah to these lost souls you've led so horribly astray?"

"I'm nothin' but a seeker, Mr. Milton."

"You ain't much of anythin' more than a killer, Mr. Van der Linde. But I came to make a deal. It's time. You come with me," Mr. Milton said, looking around at the crowd of gang members encircling him. "And I give the rest of ya three days to run off, disappear, and go and live like human beings someplace else."

"You came for me?" Dutch asked. "Risked life and limb in this den of lowlifes and murderers so that they might live and," Dutch looked at Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. "Love?" Dutch glanced back at the agent. "Ain't that fine."

Milton chuckled. "I don't wanna kill all these folk, Dutch. Just you. But I also came for Lilly."

"Oh, for the price on her head?"

"Yes. It seems Leviticus Cornwall reposted a bounty and wants her for two hundred thousand dollars."

Dutch looked at Lilly, as did the rest of the group. "Lillian, why did your Uncle Levi repost a bounty on you?"

Lilly gulped and clung to Arthur. If she went with Papa, she'd be his prisoner. If she went with Leviticus, she'd die. Decisions, decisions. But how to explain to Dutch about the bounty without actually explaining why? That was the first matter to attend to. "Well, um...I-"

Arthur sighed. "He wants to kill her."

Dutch blinked. "He wants to kill you for two hundred thousand dollars. What in the hell?"

Agent Milton sighed. "Mrs. Morgan, you-"

"If I could persuade you to bring me to Papa instead of Leviticus, I'll go."

Everyone armed their guns. "I think your friends should leave now, Lilly," Miss Grimshaw said.

Lilly looked around at everyone. Even with the insane amount of money, they weren't willing to turn her in. It warmed her heart. Arthur stood in front of Lilly. "You won't be takin' her from us. Not ever."

Dutch and the rest crowded in front of Lilly and she covered her mouth. The devotion to protect her made her want to cry. Lilly noticed Brian and James padding up behind the agents and she smiled. "Oh booooys," she spoke in a singing kind of voice. "Ya remember these gentlemen, don't you?"

Brian and James growled and showed their fangs to the men as the agents turned around. "Oh my God," Ross said.

Lilly giggled. "Now, boys, don't be so rude," she brushed past the crowd and the agents to the wolves. "They havena done nothin' bad...yet."

Brian snapped his chops at the two agents. James just snarled. "You really are a witch, ain't you?" Mr. Milton said.

"Oh, ya heard about that, I see," she mocked, standing in between the boys and facing the agents. "And to think...ya walked in here knowin' that."

"You're makin' a big mistake. All of you."

Dutch chuckled. "Yeah. Dreadful," Dutch said sarcastically. "We have got somethin'. Somethin' to live and die for. How awful for us, Mr. Milton. Stop following us...we'll be gone soon."

Mr. Milton turned around. "I'm afraid I can't-"

The boys barked and jumped forward a bit. Mr. Milton jerked back around. "Oh, sorry," Lilly chuckled. "Didn't ya know ya ain't supposed tah turn yer back on a wolf?" Lilly sighed. "Okay boys, yer scarin' our guests. Relax." The boys sat down and licked their chops. "You was sayin' sir?"

Mr. Milton cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I can't stop followin' you, and when I return I'll be with fifty men. Run away from this place, ya fools! Run!"

"Oh, Mr. Milton," Lilly shook her head with a sigh. "I think you twos should be the ones runnin'. Boys, game faces, please," she rubbed her nails on her black pants, then looked at her fingers with some feigned interest.

The boys resumed their aggressive behavior. The agents backed up. "Lillian," Dutch chuckled. "I think you're enjoyin' this a little too much."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, fine," Lilly pouted, throwing her hands up. "Boys, back up." Brian and James backed up and so did Lilly. She held out a hand and swung it sideways to the trail. "There's the door, gentlemen. So tah speak." Mr. Milton and Mr. Ross sidestepped away from the wolves and headed toward the trail. When they were far enough to her satisfaction, Lilly smirked. "Chase," she whispered.

Brian and James went charging after the men. The agents turned and went running. Just before the men disappeared, Lilly whistled for the wolves to return. They did and trotted up to her. Lilly gave both Brian and James big pieces of meat. "Good boys."

Everyone burst into hysterics. Some of them even fell to the ground. "Lilly!" Hosea laughed. "Wolf trainer, gunslinger, hunter, prankster, tree climber, master of stealth...is there anythin' you can't do?"

Lilly chuckled and walked up to Mr. Morgan. "I can't pee standin' up," she replied, giving her husband a kiss on the cheek.

More laughter burst from the gang members. Arthur put an arm around his wife with a grin. "What now?" he asked Dutch.

"We get outta here," Dutch replied. "And quick. Any ideas?"

"Lenny and I know a place," Lilly glanced to Lenny. "Don't we?"

"We do?" Lenny asked.

"Sure we do! Shady Belle, where we got all them beautiful, new guns!"

Lenny smiled and pointed at her. "Oh yeah! Yeah, it's a big house just outside Saint Denis. Very secluded, Dutch. Swampy, but secluded."

"Lilly, Arthur," Dutch addressed the couple. "You two ride out and make sure no one else has moved in. Lenny, you go follow those fools outta here, make sure that they leave. And John, we'll get Jack back and we'll get gone. Rest of you get packin'!"

Arthur and Lilly went over to their horses. "Lilly," he said. "We need to have a discussion."

"About what? Can't it wait?" Lilly asked.

"No. We'll talk on the way but, please don't...don't get angry and run off."

Lilly sighed. "Yes, dear." She climbed up onto Doc. "Come on, boys!" Brian and James went to her and the couple headed out of camp. "Just follow me, Mr. Morgan. I know the way," Lilly said as they rode along with the two pups.

"Lillian," Arthur said. "Are you sure you don't know this Bronte feller?"

"I'm sure. Why?"

"I don't believe you."

Lilly stopped Doc and Arthur stopped Tessa. "I dunna bloody care if ya believe me or not, Morgan. That's me story and I'm standin' by it."

"And what about this rumor? About him bein' a child molester?"

"Just a rumor I heard, as I said."

Arthur moved closer to her. "You're lyin' to me, Lillian! I know you are!"

"Even if I was lyin', it's none of yer god damn business! Things that happened before I met ya ain't anyone's god damn business but me own!"

"And Sean's business. You and him knew each other as kids. He knows somethin'. Now what is it?"

Lilly screeched at Arthur. "Why do ya need tah know?! It ain't got nothin' tah do with ya! None of it does!"

Arthur sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lilly, but I think you're gonna have to do better than that."

Lilly glared at him. "That's all there is tah the story, Arthur. Now let's fuckin' go so we can clear out Shady Belle and get people moved the fuck in!" Lilly took off on Doc.

Arthur followed but they didn't talk the rest of the way. And when they arrived at Shady Belle, Lilly and Arthur cleared out the occupiers along with Brian and James. The fight was short. The currently unhappy couple did not speak to each other except when necessary as they dumped some of the bodies into the swamp.

"Go meet up with everyone else, Arthur," Lilly said. "I'll take care of the rest of the bodies."

Arthur went to his horse, mounted up, and left. Lilly looted and dumped the rest of the bodies, walked inside the house, sat down, and began crying. And she wept for a few minutes before Lilly wiped her tears and let out a big puff of air. Brian and James nuzzled her and she hugged Brian. She started crying again and dug her face into his fur. "Oh, deartháir mór. I miss you so much. I wish you were here with me." _[big brother.]_

Brian made a soft groan and licked her hand. Lilly sniffled and shut her eyes. She felt a tugging on her hair and she lifted her head. Brian was...holding a lock of her hair in his mouth. Lilly scrunched her face at him and pushed him away. "What the hell, Brian? Ya got drool all over me hair! Are ya a wolf or a do-"

Brian pawed her knee. Lilly stared at him wide eyed. No. No. There was no way. Not exactly like her big brother used to do, but this wolf did a very similar gesture that her brother would do. Lilly stood up and backed away. There was no way. It was impossible.

"...Deartháir mór?" she asked out loud. Brian whined and pawed at the air in her direction. Lilly tilted her head. Could it be possible? Maybe if she...she had to be sure. "Deartháir mór? Are you my brother?"

Brian stood up and turned all the way around in a circle. Lilly covered her mouth and nose with a big gasp. Lilly looked at James. "Deartháir beag?" James also pawed the air in her direction. _[Little brother?]_

Lilly went to the floor and began crying hysterically, holding her palm to her lips. The Morrigan told Lilly that Brian and James were with her and not in Tír na nÓg. Was this what she meant? "Oh my God! Oh my Go-ha-ha-ha-hawd!" she sobbed. "Oh my God! Mo dheartháireacha! Come here! Oh my God!" _[My brothers!]_

Brian and James went to her and they both licked her face repeatedly. Lilly held them both, still bawling her eyes out from shock and amazement. It was impossible. But...she had to believe it. Brian and James were literally her brothers, back from the dead in the form of wolves. lt was impossible. But Lilly being brought back from the dead was also impossible. Lilly becoming an immortal was impossible. How was this any different? Lilly heard people outside. It had to be the gang.

"Oh my God, I have to tell Arthur! Stay!" Lilly got up and ran outside. "Arthur!" she shouted excitedly! "Arthur! I got somethin' tah tell ya!" She spotted him and ran to him with a smile, but the look on his face made her stop and her smile faded. "Arthur, what's wrong?"

Arthur walked up to her. "You know what's wrong," he growled. "You lyin' to me about so many god damn things. So..." he looked around. "Until I know everythin', I ain't stayin' in our tent. I'm stayin' in the house."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "You're...you're what?"

"I said I ain't stayin' with you until I know everythin'. And you will tell me everythin'. You're goin' to fix all these lies, Lillian, and when you do...I don't even know where we'll stand."

Lilly shuddered. "You're...you're talkin' about leavin' me? Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?"

"I don't know! I...just don't know. Right now, we need to get Jack. But afterwards, we are havin' words," Arthur pointed a finger at her. "And I might move back in, I might not. Until you tell me everythin', consider us separated." Arthur walked away from her.

Lilly's heart sank. "But what about the baby?!" She ran after him. "You're goin' tah leave me and the baby?"

"I said I don't know! Now stop followin' me, false wife!"

Lilly stopped dead in her tracks. That was the most unfair thing he could ever do to her. To them. It's not like Lilly didn't want to tell him everything. She just...couldn't. It was too difficult for her to talk about. But talking about leaving her, possibly, and considering them estranged for the time being...for the first time, Lilly regretted being with Arthur. She regretted marrying him. She regretted letting him be her first...everything. And now she was really, really, really furious with him. She would go as far to say that she hated him.

John and Dutch approached her. "Hey, we're headin' to Saint Denis, so...hey, are you alright, Lilly?" John asked.

Lilly fluttered her eyes a bit and sighed, making a blank expression. "I'm fine. I'll mount up." And Lilly whistled for her brothers. They came bounding out of the house.

Lilly got on Doc and waited for John, Dutch, and...Arthur. Sean came up to her on Ennis. "Hey, what's wrong, love?"

Lilly's lip trembled. "Arthur...he...just left me...I think. Because I been lyin' to him and he doesn't believe I told him everythin' there is to know about my connection to Bronte."

"He what? Have ya said anythin' more to him about things?"

"No. How can I?"

"Well, that's real shitty of him. You want me to talk to him?"

"Nope. Because I certainly ain't tellin' him any more shit now since he wants to play games. He's stayin' in the house. He left our...me fuckin' bed. And he's goin' to regret it. Susan?" Lilly asked as she went by. "My tent. I'm assuming Arthur gave you...instructions?"

"Yes, he did," Miss Grimshaw sighed. "Where would you like yours, honey?"

"In the way back, I guess. As far away from my stupid husband as you can possibly put it."

Miss Grimshaw laughed. "You got it, Lilly."

Dutch, John, and Arthur came strolling up. Lilly wouldn't even look at Arthur. They walked past her and she sighed. "Lilly," Sean said. "Do ya want me to come with for support?"

"I'll be fine, deartháir. Thanks but...I'll be fine. Besides, you need to steer clear of Bronte. I doubt he's forgotten ya or what ya did to get me out of Saint Denis," she whispered.

Sean put a hand on Lilly's hand. "Alright, but just know I'm here for ya, deirfiúr. Unlike that piece of shite husband of yours," Sean whispered back.

Lilly chuckled. "Thanks."

"Lilly. You ready to go?" Dutch asked.

Lilly guided Doc to turn around and looked at Dutch and John. But not Arthur. "Yep. All set."

Dutch looked at Arthur, then back at her. "Is there somethin' goin' on between you two?"

Arthur sighed. "Well, we-"

"Nope," Lilly interrupted. "Not a damn thing." She walked Doc past them, but as she passed Arthur, she said, "Ba mhaith leat go mbeimid scartha? Tá sé agat. Agus tar éis dúinn Jack a fháil, ní bheidh tú ar ais i mo leaba riamh. Fear céile." _[_ _You want us to be separated? You have it. And after we get Jack, you will never be back in my bed. Husband.]_ Lilly whispered that last part bitterly; mockingly with a glare to his face. She spit behind him. "Boys, with me."

Lilly trotted down the lane with Brian and James in tow. She heard the men come up behind her. "So, where does this guy live in Saint Denis?" John asked.

"He's got a big house over on Flavian Street."

"How do we do this, Lilly?" Dutch asked. "We should be subtle, but...how do we get in?"

"He'll have a guard or two at the gate. Tell him we have an appointment with Mr. Bronte. If he don't listen, well, use your charm. Or your aggression. I don't care which."

"Alright. Hey Arthur," Dutch said. "Can you believe that girl? All I've got goin' on, and she wants to talk."

"Everthing okay with you two?" Arthur asked.

Lilly wished she'd shot Arthur in the leg, foot, or arm back at Braithwaite Manor.


	42. Broken Ties

Dutch, Lilly, Arthur, John, and the boys rode together toward the big city of Saint Denis, the place Lilly recalled as her personal Hell. She hadn't been there in fifteen years and the closer they got, the more her stomach churned from the anxiety of even being in sight of the smoke stacks of the factories there that she could now see off in the distance. Occasionally she eyeballed Arthur with uncertainty but he apparently did not care to look at her. It was frustrating and she wanted to speak to him privately but she also didn't want to interrupt the conversation between him and her Da.

"Alright, I guess this day ain't over yet," Arthur said casually. He didn't sound too upset but he was good at hiding his emotions when he wanted to. It was either that or he was far too focused on keeping his cool in order to find Jack with a level head.

"Not quite," Dutch responded with a slight touch of exasperation. "Good work back there, Arthur. You too, Lilly. Everything went okay?"

"A few loose ends, nothin' major," Arthur replied as if it had been nothing.

Well, it really hadn't been difficult or anything like that. Arthur, Lilly, and the boys made easy work of the small Leymoyne Raiders group that had been holed up at Shady Belle. Lilly wondered how far away her tent would be from the house. Would it be in the back? The front? The side? She had no idea, but as long as it was away from Arthur, she didn't care that much...unless it was near the swamp. She didn't want to get attacked by alligators in the middle of the night. However, the Irish woman had a feeling she just might have night terrors. Perhaps it was for the best that she be away from mostly everyone, especially if she happened to have a bad dream and ended up...thrashing things about with her mind in her sleep. Lilly still wasn't quite sure what that was all about, but she'd been meaning to get to the bottom of it. She'd been meaning to get to the bottom of a lot of things. Her tree in Ireland, for one thing. What the hell had that been about? Was that how she suddenly became an immortal? Lilly suddenly remembered the name Adair. She had been the goddess her father Jack killed so many years ago before Lilly was even born. Is that why The Morrigan was helping her? And where was Adair's father The Dagda? Didn't he know what was going on? Was he even in existence anymore?

"Lilly," Dutch said. "You're awfully quiet. Somethin' on your mind?"

"I'm just worried about Jack, that's all," she replied coolly.

"We're goin' to get that boy back, whatever it takes," Dutch said with promise in his voice. "John, just keep calm and everythin' will go accordin' to plan."

"I know," John said glumly.

Lilly knew John was taking this hard. She held back a bit on the reins to stroll next to John. "John, we're gonna get him back safe. If it can't be done in a civilized manner, I will personally tear that whole house apart and find that boy. And if anyone harmed him in any way, the boys and I will kill the lot of them. You hear me?"

John nodded with renewed passion. "I will too, Lilly." John stared at Arthur's back for a moment before speaking once more. "Are you and Arthur fightin' again?" he whispered.

Lilly pulled on the reins more, making Doc walk instead of trot. "Yes, but don't worry about that now."

"I have to. I need somethin' to distract me if only for a little bit."

Lilly frowned and gave in. "He thinks I'm lyin' to him about Bronte."

"Are you?"

"No."

John leaned in a bit. "You really are a bad liar, Lilly," he said with a smirk.

Lilly chuckled in defeat. "Okay, you got me. Yes, I'm lyin', but it's for a reason. I promise it has nothin' to do with Jack."

"Fair enough, but are you two goin' to argue again?"

"Apparently not," Lilly frowned. "He's movin' into the house."

"You're kiddin'."

"Nope."

John shook his head. "He really is an idiot."

Lilly grunted. "Most men are, no offense."

"None taken." Lilly spotted the bridge they were about to go over and her heart halted to a stop, or at least it felt like it did. She stared at the city in the distance and suddenly lost her courage. Lilly's hands began to shake and John noticed. "Arthur?" John shouted.

Dutch and Arthur stopped their steeds and turned around. "What is it?" Arthur asked begrudgingly. However, when he took a gander at Lilly, his expression softened. "Lilly? Are you okay?"

Lilly stared wide eyed at the city with her lip trembling. She needed to relax. She needed to get herself under control. Clearing her throat, she put her game face on and gave Arthur a cold glance. "I'm fine. I just needed a moment." She walked Doc past her husband and Dutch. As she got in front, she shut her eyes. "Follow me. I know where to go from here," she said, opening her sapphire eyes again to gaze upon the lion's den of her childhood. It was getting dark, which made Saint Denis look so much more ominous and threatening than it was, but Lilly held her mental ground as the men and the wolves followed her across the bridge. Many emotions were still passing through the young woman but she kept on a straight face, even when they passed one of Cornwall's buildings on the right. It gave her the willies nonetheless. She took the first left they could by the train tracks. "Bronte's house will be down here a ways, on the left," she said.

"You sure do know you're way around, don't you?" Dutch asked.

"Saint Denis is a hard place to forget. Especially when you've spent as much time here as I have."

"How long did you live here?"

"Two years, just about."

"Wow."

"Yes," Lilly chuckled. "Wow."

"Does it look different?"

"There's a lot more city, so yes, but it's relatively the same. This fence to our right is new." Lilly noticed it was still being built.

"So where did you live?" Dutch asked.

"...Deeper into the city," she said, clearing her throat.

Arthur laughed. "You are a horrible liar."

"Shut up, Arthur. I am not speakin' tah yas just now." There was a man they went by who was whistling the song "My Darling Clementine". A carriage passed them by as they got to the gravel part of the road.

"Are you two fightin' again?" A sigh came from Dutch when he asked the question.

"Yes. I'm sure it'll be resolved eventually, as our fights always go," Lilly assured, looking back at Arthur. "That's if he chooses not to leave me."

Dutch stopped in the middle of the road. "Arthur, you can't be serious."

Arthur rolled his eyes as he was put on the spot. "No, I'm not. I only said that so Lilly would stop lyin' to me."

"About what?"

"He thinks I know Bronte. Which I don't," Lilly said in a harsh voice. "Let's keep movin', please. The sooner we get Jack, the sooner we can get out of this hellhole of a city."

The entourage resumed their stroll down the street. "This must be the rich part of town," John said.

"It is." Lilly's heart stopped when she spotted her old house. She pointed to it. "There it is. Bronte's mansion." It was dusk now and the sight of the mansion made her want to vomit. As they drew near, Lilly's heart pumped faster and sweat began to bead on her brow. She took her bandana and wiped down her perspiration. "I hope you boys are ready."

"You okay, John?" Dutch inquired as they hitched up their horses across the way.

"I guess," he replied.

They walked up to the locked gate and saw a guard. "You're up, Da," Lilly said.

Dutch approached the metal gates. "Excuse me, sir. We have an appointment to see Mr. Bronte."

The guard closed in. "Who are you?" he asked in an Italian accent.

Dutch reached through the gate and grabbed the man by the collar before slamming him into the metal bars. He let go and pulled out the guard's gun, aiming it at the man. "You get your boss down here and now, so we can talk about this like gentlemen," Dutch said with a low, threatening undertone. He helped the man up. "Run along now, boy." More guards started coming out of the house and Lilly sighed. Dutch whistled and handed the guard his gun back.

"Was that the special Dutch charm I heard so much about?" John asked.

"Relax...I got this." Dutch grinned as he raised his hands up.

The guard came back and opened the gate for them. Lilly, Arthur, and John all lifted their hands up and walked through. Lilly's heart pounded in her chest as she ordered the boys to stay in the yard. Brian and James snarled at the house but Lilly shushed them both. "Deartháireacha, quiet." _[Brothers]_ Brian and James both laid down and Lilly sighed in relief. It would do no good to bring them in and have Brian kill Bronte, much as she wanted to see Papa get eaten alive. It wasn't that bad of an idea, really, but it would have to wait until after they had Jack.

"Deartháireacha?" Arthur asked her. _[Brothers?]_

"Is iad mo dheartháireacha iad. Mo dheartháireacha réadacha. Thuig mé é níos luaithe inniu," Lilly replied. _[They are my brothers. My real brothers. I realized it earlier today.]_

"Don't worry, boys. We come in peace," Dutch said as they made their way across the yard. "We just need to straighten a couple of things out with your boss."

Lilly climbed the steps and gulped. This was going to be a doozy of a time. As Lilly wandered in, she took a gander at the place. Nothing had changed in the house as far as she could tell. They made a left into the room and when Lilly saw Papa sitting on the couch with a book and their eyes met, her blood ran cold. Although she kept a straight face, her eyes deceived her and Bronte smirked at her knowingly. "Ah, il mio piccolo fiore è tornato da me," he said, looking directly at her. _[Ah, my little flower has come back to me.]_

Lilly's eyes glared into his. She hated being called "little flower" no matter what language it was in. "Mr. Bronte. We are here about my nephew."

"Why do you take his son?" Dutch asked, pointing to John.

"Excuse me?" Bronte said as he put down his book and faced Dutch.

"I said, why did you take his son? We ain't got no problems with you, sir, nor you with us, but if you wanna start one," the group lowered their hands. "There is gonna be a lot of folks dead in this room before it's done."

The guards lifted their guns and Bronte scoffed. "So, you walk into my city, stinking of shit and looking like this, and you come into my house, before you have a bath and you tell me how to act? You ask me to show compassion? Have I not shown you almost infinite compassion already by simply allowing you to breathe in my presence?" Bronte hissed.

Dutch raised his hands once more. "Indeed you have." He took a step forward. "Now...we are simple country folk. All we have is each other..." Dutch said as he sat down, "and you have gone, and you have took," he motioned to John, "his son, over some dispute with some inbred ex-slavers. It ain't got nothin' to do with anyone of us."

"You had nothing to do with destroying the liquor business?!" Bronte yelled, making Lilly flinch. She cursed herself for still being swayed by his yelling.

"We was innocent bystanders, and that which we weren't innocent of, well we...we most surely were ignorant of."

"You, you, you twist words, you like shamelessly, you think you are better than everyone else." Bronte said before smiling. "Ti adoro," he said, laughing as he did. "Dai da bere a questi uomini. E la donna." _[I love you. Give these men drinks. And the woman.]_ He stood and held out his hand for a shake as he laughed. "Angelo Bronte."

Dutch stood, laughed, and shook the man's hand. "Dutch van der Linde. Arthur Morgan, his wife Lilly, and John Marston."

"The pleasure is mine, all mine," Bronte said, shaking all the men's hands. He held out his hand to Lilly and she bit her lip as she went to shake it. He kissed it instead. "Such a pleasure."

Lilly wanted to gag and the men sat down. Someone brought out a chair and Lilly sat down in that as another man brought out drinks. "So, can my friend have his son?" Dutch asked.

"Of course, of course..." Bronte said as he grabbed a drink. "But, should I be out of pocket over a misunderstanding? Of course I know you would not want that, eh?"

"Uh, no."

"No, no, no, so, how about this? You perform a simple job for me, and you get your son back," Angelo said as he looked at John.

"What is it?" Arthur asked as he set his glass down.

"A couple of people have taken to grave robbing in the cemetery."

"Heh, that is a fine place for it," Dutch pointed out. "The best."

Angelo laughed and Lilly rolled her eyes. "I love this guy. I love you. See they've taken not only to desecrating the dead, but they've done so without paying tribute to the living. Thing is, they see my men, of course, they run a mile. So maybe you two head off," he motioned to Arthur and John, "and you, Mr. Van der Linde...why, you tell me more about my manners. And the lady must stay, of course. It is not right for a woman to be doing such a thing."

Lilly's eyes squinted. "No, I can do any job just fine, Mr. Bronte."

"Yes, but please stay. I wish to converse with someone from Ireland. By the way, tell me, do you speak Gaeilge?"

"Yes."

"Any other languages?"

"Polish, German...maybe a few others."

"Ah," Bronte laughed. "Not Italian, eh?"

Lilly's hands clenched. "No."

Bronte leaned forward. "Ricordi le caramelle e i cioccolatini che ti darei? Li amavi così tanto." _[Remember the candies and chocolates I would give you? You loved them so much.]_

Lilly narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what that means.""

"Hai dimenticato le tue lezioni? Non penso tu l'abbia fatto." _[Have you forgotten your lessons? I don't think you did.]_

Fuck. "I don't know what you're sayin'," Lilly insisted.

"Questi uomini non sanno di noi, il mio piccolo fiore?" _[Don't these men know about us, my little flower?]_

Lilly slammed her hands on the table. "Dì di nuovo un piccolo fiore e ti taglio la gola!" _[Say little flower again and I'll cut your throat!]_

Bronte laughed loudly and Lilly shut her eyes. Shit. "Oh ho ho, so you do speak Italian! What a delight!" His men aimed their guns again but Angelo motioned for them to lower them. Lilly dared a glance at the Van der Linde gang members. Dutch and John looked astonished while Arthur looked nonplussed. "Perché non sanno di me?" _[Why don't they know about me?]_

"Sanno di "Papa". Questo è tutto ciò che mi interessa dire loro." _[They know about "Papa". That's all I'm interested in telling them.]_

"Ma perché?" Bronte asked, taking a drink. _[But why?]_

"Quella parte della mia vita è finita." _[That part of my life is over.]_

"Lilly, I didn't know you spoke Italian!" Dutch said.

Lilly sighed. "I didn't think it relevant since we've never come across any Italian mob bosses before," she said, crossing her legs and arms.

Bronte burst into hysterics. "I love this kid! So witty!" He cleared his throat. "Okay, okay. Boys, you may go."

Lilly kept her eyes on the floor as Arthur and John got up to leave. Arthur paused near his wife. "Insíonn tú dom gach rud nuair a thiocfaidh mé ar ais," Arthur said before leaving. _[You tell me everything when I come back.]_

Lily rolled her eyes and kept quiet as Dutch and Bronte got to talking. The two men laughed and had a nice time as Dutch "educated" Bronte on his "manners", but it wasn't long until Angelo directed his attention to Lilly. "I see you haven't drank anything, Mrs. Morgan. Shall I provide something else for you?"

"Oh, no thank you," she replied. "I'm not thirsty."

"Well, perhaps you'd like some food? A cannoli, perhaps? Have you ever had spaghetti?" All the blood drained from Lilly's face. "You know, word gets around. Mrs. Morgan here is a popular subject, what with her wolves and the...other things about her."

"Such as?" Dutch asked suspiciously.

"I heard you are a witch, too," Bronte chuckled. "Not that I believe it, of course, but I have heard you do possess certain talents."

"By whom?" Lilly barked. "Your circle of poker friends?"

"Tuo zio. È vero che ha cercato di ucciderti?" Bronte said with a frown. _[Your uncle. Is it true that he tried to kill you?]_

Lilly sighed. "Due volte." _[Twice.]_

"Quel figlio di puttana," Bronte spat. "Se rimani con me, posso proteggerti. Sai che posso." _[That son of a bitch. If you stay with me, I can protect you. You know I can.]_

"Perché diavolo vorresti proteggermi?" Lilly said with a light snarl. "Hai messo un prezzo sulla mia dannata testa!" _[Why the hell would you want to protect me? You put a price on my damn head!]_

Dutch looked at them both in puzzlement. "I'm sorry, but could we-"

Bronte leaned forward looking very serious. "Per il tuo ritorno sicuro. Sei sempre stato il mio preferito e mi sei mancato, figlia mia." _[For your safe return. You have always been my favorite and I have missed you, my daughter.]_

Lilly scowled. "Dutch is my father."

"Oh. I see." Bronte leaned back and chuckled, glancing over at a very confused Dutch. "I apologize. Shall we continue in English?"

"Yes. I'm afraid Italian was never on my agenda of languages to learn," Dutch replied.

Jack came bursting into the sitting room. "Aunt Lilly! Uncle Dutch!"

Lilly smiled. Oh thank God. She went and picked him up with a big hug. "Ó, mo nia! Mo milis, milis nia!" _[Oh, my nephew! My sweet, sweet nephew!]_

"I missed you, Aunt Lilly!" Jack smiled and looked down. "I missed your bolg borrtha too." _[baby bump]_

Lilly laughed awkwardly. "Well, I missed you too. Now," Lilly kissed his cheek. "Would you like to see Brian and James? They're just outside."

"Yes! Yes please! But can I say goodbye to Papa Bronte first?" Lilly held Jack close and glared at Bronte before putting Jack down. Jack ran to Bronte and hugged him. Lilly glanced at Dutch who was gaping at her. From that look, Dutch had to put two and two together. She frowned and Jack came back to her. He touched her belly, then out his ear to it. "Can I hear the baby yet?"

Lilly tried not to look at Bronte when he spoke. "Baby? You're pregnant?" he said in shock.

Lilly started to tremble. "Yes."

"Aunt Lilly, why are you shaking?"

Lilly grabbed Jack's hand and they quickly ran outside. The wolves barked and greeted Jack happily as Lilly stood on the porch. Dutch joined her after a few minutes. "Lilly, are you okay?"

Lilly nodded without looking at him. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I was watchin' you. He said things that clearly made you upset. I thought you said you didn't know him, but I think you do."

"Fine. I know him, but I don't wish to discuss it further." Lilly walked off the steps just as Arthur and John got back.

"Well, you took your time," Dutch said.

"Jack!" John shouted.

"Where's your host?" Arthur asked.

"Pa!" Jack went running into John's arms and it made Lilly smile.

"Like I said, you took you time," Dutch repeated.

"Am I glad to see you..." John said to Jack.

"Let's get goin'." Dutch said, putting a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "We should talk later, Iníon." _[Daughter.]_

"...Okay?" Lilly said in confusion.

"But a fine man. Hey, friend," Dutch said to one of Bronte's men. "Thank Mr. Bronte...for everything."

"You alright?" John asked Jack.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jack replied.

Lilly shrugged and looked at Arthur. He held out his elbow for her to take it and she rolled her eyes, latching her arm with his. "What's this about?"

"John suggested I be nice to you in front of the boy," Arthur said as they walked.

"Oh." Lilly frowned.

"You know Arthur, Mr. Bronte has invited us to a garden party at the mayor's house," Dutch interjected. "And us, just simple country folk." Arthur led Lilly to Doc and helped her up before mounting up on Tessa. "Let's go. We got a new camp set up, Jack. You're gonna love it. Alright, let's get this boy back to his mother."

The all began to trot down the street. "You sure you're okay, son?" John asked, concerned for his son.

"I'm fine. Papa Bronte said you'd come for me," Jack said innocently.

Lilly shut her eyes and jerked her head as if she'd just been punched in the gut. "I'm...I'm sorry," John spoke with regret in his voice.

"What for?"

"For...that...for takin' so long."

"I had a fun time. I had my own room with a big bed and a toy box. And lots of books."

"Did they...do anything to you?"

"Have you ever had spaghetti?"

Lilly wanted to die when Jack asked that. "What? What's that?" John inquired, sounding confused.

"It's food. It looks like worms but it's delicious."

"Is that right?"

"Papa Bronte said spaghetti was Aunt Lilly's favorite food in the whole wide world!"

Lilly stopped her horse and everyone else did the same. "What?" Arthur asked Jack.

"Jack, don't-" Lilly started to say.

"Aunt Lilly's favorite food was spaghetti and cannolis," Jack explained. "She used to live there. I got to see your old room, Aunt Lilly!"

Lilly gulped. Now her secret was out and she dared not look at anyone. "You...you did, huh?" she stammered awkwardly.

"Yes! It was so exciting! I didn't know you knew Papa Bronte."

Lilly kept her gaze averted. "Yes. Yes I did, once upon a time."

Arthur strolled up to Lilly. She glanced at him briefly, seeing the pained look on his face. He definitely knew she'd lied, so was that why he looked so hurt? "Lillian, I..." he sighed. "Bronte...he's Papa?"

"...Yes," she uttered. "Angelo Bronte is Papa." Lilly saw Arthur's knuckles whiten from how hard he clenched his fists on the reigns. It made Lilly want to cringe. "Níor labhair mé an fhírinne. Tá brón orm," Lilly said with a tone of shame. _[I didn't speak the truth. I'm sorry.]_

"John? Why don't you and I take the boy home?" Dutch said.

"Okay," John said. "Your mother is worried, kid. Let's go."

Dutch and John galloped off, leaving husband and wife in an awkward silence. Arthur adjusted himself in his seat. "Why did you lie?"

"I was goin' to tell you, but I wanted to get Jack first and I didn't want to cause more...drama."

"I see. Despite all that he put you through, you went in there, even with that bounty on your head. Just to get Jack back." Arthur turned her face to look at him, cupping her cheek. "Tá meas agam ar do mhisneach, mo bhean chéile le croílár na tine. Táim i ngrá leat níos mó ná riamh." _[I respect your courage, my wife with the essence of fire. I am in love with you more than ever.]_

Lilly palmed the hand on her cheek and shut her eyes. "Go raibh maith agat, mo fhear céile le croí leon. Líonann do thrócaire mé le bród." _[Thank you, my husband with a lion heart. Your mercy fills me with pride.]_

Arthur leaned in and kissed her softly. "Let's go home."

Lilly and Arthur raced off together with the boys. And when they got back to Shady Belle, a party was in full swing for Jack's homecoming. The couple sat together by the fire, Lilly sitting in Arthur's lap as Javier sang songs in Spanish. Lilly clung to him and the occasional peck was exchanged. "Does this mean you're movin' back in?" Lilly asked Arthur.

"Yes," he said happily. "If you'll have me."

"I will. In more ways than one," she whispered in a seductive voice, nibbling on his ear lobe.

Arthur hissed amd stood with Lilly in his arms. "I believe my wife and I will be retirin' for the evenin," Arthur announced.

Some of the adults laughed and excused them. Dutch and Hosea smiled at them as they walked by toward the back of camp where the Morgan tent was placed. It was a little closer to the swamp than Lilly preferred but at least they would have privacy for their "recreational activities." Arthur carried her in and set her down, taking his time to unbutton her shirt. He exposed her chest and lightly bit her neck, kneeling down leisurely and kissing his way down to Lilly's navel. He looked up at her lovingly as he undid her pants, unbuckled her gun belt, took it off, pulled her pants down, and spread her thighs a little. He grasped her rump and placed soft, warm kisses on ger inner thighs before licking her honeypot. Lilly grunted, removing Arthur's hat and swirling her fingers through his hair. He scooted forward on his knees to guide Lilly to the bed and she laid down on her back. Arthur removed her boots and pants before pulling her legs apart and going back to kissing and tasting her womanhood. Lilly's head arched back from the pleasure of his tongue sliding along her slit and nub. Her legs bent at the knees and her hands gripped his hair. Lilly moaned out loudly as he suckled her. He put a finger in and started swiveling it around, making her gasp and moan more. When Arthur inserted a second finger, her inner muscles twitched.

"Someone is so close already," Arthur chuckled, his lips vibrating against her labia.

"Yes," she said breathlessly.

Arthur moved his digits in and out of her fiercely as he licked her nub, flicking and massaging his fingertips on Lilly's g-spot. Her thighs spread more and her respirations flowed more quickly as her hips arched up and she came. Fluid came squirting from her and Arthur sucked it all up. He raised his head and chuckled.

"You taste so sweet." Lilly chuckled in content. Suddenly she felt a fluttering in her stomach and she gasped. "What's wrong?"

She put a hand on her stomach. "I think I felt the baby move."

Arthur pressed a hand on her belly as the tiny movements inside her continued. He frowned. "I don't feel anythin'."

Lilly pressed his hands back. "You will eventually, mo chuisle."

* * *

Lilly woke the next morning to find her husband gone. Content as a kitten full on its mother's milk from last night's festivities, Lilly got dressed and brushed her hair while humming a random tune. She braided some of her hair in celtic knots and left the tent in a dark maroon buttoned down shirt and a pair of dark blue pants that were slightly bigger than her usual size. She'd started piling up on clothes that she could wear as her belly grew. Lilly spotted a letter on the nightstand and began to read it.

_Dear Arthur,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to thank you for your help with Jamie. He and Daddy are still arguing but I understand Jamie is thinking about going back to college. Whatever happens, I believe you saved his life and we are all truly grateful._

_Oh, Arthur. I have made such a mess of my life, time and again. Why can I not change and be the woman I want to be? Why couldn't you change and be a man and put down all those fantasies that shroud your judgment?_

Lilly scoffed. "Be a man? Fantasies? That feckin' little..." Lilly continued reading.

_Life is very confusing and I see now that I am not very good at it. I am afraid we have got ourselves into another mess. It's not my fault but I need your help. I'm staying at the Hotel Grand in Saint Denis. Oh Arthur, I know it is wrong to ask you, but I have nobody else and for what we once had together, I beg of you, even though I am ashamed to do so._

_Yours,_

_Mary_

"...As ucht Dé," she sighed, then she started laughing. "Oh, Mary, ya have no idea how much of a man my Arthur is, ya poor feckin' sap! And oooh, ya asked me husband fer help, did ya? Fer what ya once had together, aye?"

Lilly crumpled up the letter. Mary fuckin' Gillis. Linton now, she corrected herself. But she was a widow now, and Lilly was not about to let Mary sink her nasty, manipulative claws into her husband...not that she didn't trust Arthur, of course, but still, the nerve of that bitch. Lilly used to like Mary, until she broke Arthur's heart and their engagement. Lilly started remembering how that night went down.

* * *

_Arthur was drinking bourbon around the campfire one night, and 9-year-old Lilly came walking up to him. Lilly knew he was...distraught. Mary Gillis had called off the wedding, and he'd spent most of the afternoon and evening drinking. Lilly felt bad for him. She sat down on the log he was sitting on._

_"Hey, Arthur," she said. "How many of those have you had?"_

_Arthur whipped around and cackled drunkenly. "Oh, I dunno...a lot, I guess."_

_Lilly sighed and grabbed the bottle. She sniffed it. "That smells awful."_

_Arthur laughed. "It tastes almost as bad as it smells."_

_"Huh." Lilly went to try it but he grabbed it from her._

_"Lilly, sweetheart, you're way too young for that."_

_"I only wanted to try it!"_

_Arthur handed it back to her. "Just one sip, little lady."_

_"I ain't a lady!" Lilly sniffed it again, made a sour face, then took a sip. It burned. She spit it out and wiped her mouth. "Blah! Bleh! That is feckin' disgustin', man!"_

_Arthur broke into hysterics and took the bottle from her. "And you claim to be Irish."_

_"I am Irish, ya slobberin' drunk!" she snapped._

_Lilly and Arthur started laughing at each other. He patted her back and took a drink. "Mmm, well, just wait until you're old enough to drink. Then you can prove your roots."_

_"I bet! I'll drink ya under the table!" Lilly giggled._

_Arthur put his arm around her and pulled her to his side. "You're alright, kid. You're alright!" he laughed._

_Lilly snuggled into his arm. "Arthur?"_

_"Mmm?"_

_"May I ask why Mary...ya know..."_

_Arthur huffed. "She's a lady, I'm an outlaw. Her family hates me, and, well, she wants me to change and I don't think I can."_

_"Oh, bullocks! That is such horseshite!"_

_Arthur eyeballed her with a grin. "Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, you have such a mouth on you!" he laughed._

_"So? Why does she want you to change? There ain't nothin' wrong with you."_

_"Thanks, kid. That means a lot." Arthur took a drink._

_"I...you know I don't speak on my folks so much, but...I remember they were very much in love with each other."_

_"Hmm," Arthur shook her lovingly. "Holdin' hands and the like?"_

_"They'd..." Lilly covered her mouth and laughed loudly._

_"They'd what, kid?"_

_Lilly grinned up at him. "They'd make weird noises all the time and they'd say weird things when they was alone."_

_Arthur chuckled. "Like what?" He went to take a drink._

_Lilly squinted her eyes up at Arthur. "Things like..." Lilly cleared her throat and went down in pitch. "Oh, Mrs. O'Callaghan, yer bobbles and knobs are sooo hypnotizin'."_

_Arthur spit out the drink and went into hysterics. "You heard them say that?!"_

_"Yes! They'd do shite like that everywhere! Always talkin' about wantin' to scratch and bite each other! It was silly!"_

_Arthur kept laughing. "Well, some couples do that."_

_"I found it odd, but...they loved each other so much, they could be silly like that."_

_Arthur patted her head. "That's the best kind of love there is."_

_"Is that what you and Mary have?"_

_Arthur took another drink. "...well, we ain't allowed to do those things. Not until we're married. But...no, we weren't very silly with each other, either."_

_"Then you deserve better, Arthur," Lilly kissed his cheek and stood up. "And any woman who loved you that much would be so lucky to have you. So Mary can shove off, for all I care."_

_Arthur squinted at her. "I thought you liked Mary?"_

_Lilly put her hands on her hips. "Well I don't now since Mary thinks she's too good for you! Fuck that wench!"_

_Arthur laughed then shushed her. "Lilly, that ain't nice to say. It's not all her fault."_

_"Doesn't matter to me, Arthur. You matter to me. And I will always have your back, remember?"_

_Arthur pulled the Irish girl to him and hugged her. "Likewise, kid. Thanks."_

_Lilly giggled. "_ _And ya know what? If ya can't find a bonnie lass to marry you, then I will marry you!"_

_Arthur gently pushed her back and smiled. "Nah, by the time you get to the marryin' age, I'll be an old man."_

_Lilly patted his head. "Just don't change, Arthur. The right one will come along soon enough."_

_"How..." Arthur burped. "Ugh, excuse me...how did you get to be this smart?"_

_"Annabelle has romance novels she lets me read."_

_"Oh good grief."_

_Lilly laughed. "Nothin' inappropriate, but...just..." Lilly kissed his cheek and skipped away. "Think about what I said!" and she ran off back to her tent._

* * *

Lilly opened up the crumpled paper. It was dated one day ago. Lilly looked around for the envelope and found it. The postage was dated today. "Hmm. The Hotel Grand. Well...I wonder if he stopped by to visit her."

Lilly folded the letter and put it in her satchel. She walked out of the tent towards the main part of camp. She noticed her boys and Rose were gone. Lilly got to Liath, saddled up and left camp.

* * *

It was a bit late in the day when Lilly found her way to Saint Denis. And now, Lilly was just around the corner from the Hotel Grand. She'd left Liath half a block down, and she purchased a black duster coat and a black mountain beaver hat. She tucked all her red hair inside the hat. She stayed at the corner, awaiting something. Maybe Arthur and Mary already left. Maybe he hadn't come at all. Maybe he was out hunting. This was stupid. Lilly knew Arthur would not...cheat. It was Mary she didn't trust. And she wanted to know what that...possible home wrecker was up to.

"Arthur! Arthur!" Lilly heard Mary call out. "You came!"

Lilly peaked around and saw her husband...clean shaven, hair cut...and dressed in a dress shirt, a fancy red vest, black fancy pants, and...what the hell kind of shoes was he wearing? They sure as hell weren't boots. "Yeah, I came," Arthur replied with a chuckle.

Lilly scowled. "Mac soith!" she hissed. _[Son of a bitch!]_

"Wait there!" Mary shouted. "I'm comin' straight down."

Lilly shut her eyes tightly and pressed her back to the wall. "Lilly, calm down. Give yer husband the benefit of the doubt. He would never, _never_ , cheat on ya. Especially not with that heart-breakin' harlot!" she growled the last two words.

Lilly peaked again. Arthur was twitching about and moving around. Was he nervous? Why the fuck was he nervous?! Lilly saw him rub his teeth with a finger. Her heart dropped. Arthur wanted to look nice, apparently. For his ex. Lilly saw Mary come out.

Lilly kept her head down and walked along the sidewalk, then went to a small corner of the building on the side and waited.

"...Whenever you call for me, I'll come," Arthur said to Mary. Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Uh..." Mary gasped. "Oh Arthur."

"What's wrong?"

"Daddy..."

"Your father?! I'm a bigger fool than I even thought."

Lilly bit her knuckles and giggled. "Serves ya right, ya bastard," Lilly whispered to herself.

"I'm begging you, Arthur! I know Daddy was not...kind to you, but...but surely you cannot hate a man for the sin of loving his daughter and wanting better for her than...t-than..."

"Than me?" Arthur finished for her.

Lilly growled under her breath. This was exactly why she didn't like Mary. Making her husband feel bad about himself for being who he was. The fucking nerve!

"T-Than the choices you make!"

"What choice did I have?" Arthur shouted. "Did I ever have?"

"Oh, I know," Mary mocked. "You had to live by your code, but your code is, well it's not right!" Mary yelped.

Lilly growled. How dare she say something like that!

"Has your way been right, Mary?" Arthur huffed bitterly. "With you? With Jamie joinin' a bunch of crazies...and hypocritical Daddy with his drinkin' and whorin' and gamblin', huh? Is that what a pure life has gotten you? Beggin' me for help!?"

"Oh, Arthur," Mary pleaded. "Be kind to me. Please..."

Lilly wanted to shoot Mary. If she had to hear 'oh Arthur' one more god damn time...Arthur had every right to be god damn mad. And...oh, well, that was probably why he dressed up. To feel better about himself. Oh, this bitch. Lilly wasn't the slightest bit jealous anymore. She was pissed off at this woman acting so high and mighty. She was a fucking hypocrite.

"Sorry," Arthur said.

"I am...I should have asked someone else...but..."

"...But I'm the best guy you know at frightenin' decent people."

"...It wasn't that I didn't love you, Arthur. You know that."

"I know," Arthur grumbled.

Lilly narrowed her eyes. Mary had no idea what love is.

"Oh, Arthur..."

That was it. Lilly took off her hat and popped out from around the corner. Lilly saw them sitting on the steps. "Ahem! Excuse me!"

Mary and Arthur looked up at her. Arthur's face went pale. "Lilly. Uh..." his voice drifted off. He knew he was in trouble.

Lilly rolled her eyes at him. "Speak up, mo fhear céile." _[my husband.]_

"Lillian?" Mary gasped. "Lillian O'Callaghan, is that you?"

Lilly leaned a hand on the building, looking at Mary with a smirk. "Well, it ain't O'Callaghan no more," Lilly sneered at Arthur. "Isn't that right, mo fhear céile?!" Lilly growled. She looked at his ring finger. The ring was still on, so that was a brownie point for him. Arthur still looked like he wanted to die, though.

"Did you get married, Lilly?" Mary asked.

Lilly feigned a smile at Mary. "As a matter of fact, I did. Did Arthur not tell ya?" Lilly gasped dramatically and looked at Arthur. "Oh, shame on you, ya silly man!"

Arthur stood up and glared at Lilly. "Did you follow me, woman?!"

"Not the whole way, I found her letter!" Lilly snarled. "Where are me bráithre?!" Lilly yelled. _[wolves?!]_

"They're out in the swamps, I suppose!"

"Cén fáth an ifreann rinne tusa ní insint mise faoi seo beag bídeach cruinniú?" Lilly barked out. _[Why the hell did you not tell me about this tiny meeting?]_

"Rinne mé ní smaoineamh é tábhachtach!" Arthur replied angrily. _[I did not think it was important!]_

"Ní raibh sé tábhachtach a chur in iúl dom go raibh tú ag bualadh le do shean chailín?" Lilly pointed at him, her lips tightened and her eyes narrowed. "Ní hé sin an fáth a bhfuil mé anseo. _[It was not important to let me know that you were meeting your old girlfriend? This is not even why I am here!]_

"Ansin cén fáth a bhfuil tú anseo?!" Arthur yelled as people started to stare at them. _[Then why are you here?!]_

"Mar gheall ar an bacach beag seo!" Lilly motioned to Mary. "Ag caint síos chun tusa! Déanamh tusa mothaigh dona faoi tú féin! Aisteoireacht taitin le tá tú ní maith go leor!" _[Because of this little lamb! Talking down to you! Making you feel bad about yourself! Acting like you are not good enough!]_

Arthur laughed. "I'm sorry, that...what does aiste...god, you know I'm bad with them big ass words."

Lilly smiled at him in frustration, then punched him gently in the shoulder. "Actin', ya eejit! It means actin'."

"Ow!" Arthur laughed, rubbing his shoulder. "Tá brón orm, mo bhean chéile." _[Sorry, my wife.]_

"Um, sorry, uh," Mary interjected. "When did Arthur start speakin'...uh..."

Lilly rolled her eyes at Mary. "Gaeilge. Or Irish, if you can't pronounce Gaeilge properly."

"Yes...Irish. When did you start speaking Irish, Arthur?"

"Four years ago," he sighed. "When Lilly and I started...um, courtin', you could say."

"Courting? Oh, so..." Mary looked at their hands. "You two got married? To each other?"

Lilly growled at Mary. "Yes! And ya know why I married him? Because I love the bastard fer who he is! And I would never ask him tah change any god damn thing about himself, unlike SOME people!"

"Lilly-" Arthur started.

Lilly glared at him. "Táim ag caint, mo fhear céile!" _[I'm talking, my husband!"]_

Arthur chuckled and took a step back with his palms up. "Sea, mo bhean chéile." _[Yes, my wife.]_

Lilly's expression softened and she smirked at him. "Buachaill maith." _[Good boy.]_ Lilly turned back to Mary. "Now ya listen here, Mrs. Linton. Me husband is a good man! A fine man! And he has certainly made better choices than yer dear old Daddy, ya feckin' hypocritical harlot!

"Lillian!" Mary scolded. "You don't need to use that kind of language!

Arthur laughed. "Ah, shit. Now she's just gonna curse more, Mary."

Lilly coughed into her hand. "Mrs. Linton, ya know in yer letter, you asked Arthur why he could not be a man. Well guess what? He is _twice_ the man yer god damn daddy was, is, and ever will be! And fer ya tah ask Arthur fer help... _twice_ , and then treat him like some common criminal...oh, he may be a criminal, but he ain't common! Yer father, on the other hand..."

Mary stood up and huffed. "My daddy is not a criminal!"

"Why?" Lilly snapped. "Because he is a law-abidin' citizen?! That don't mean he got more honor than Arthur! Arthur does what he does fer survival, not fer greed or to satisfy baser needs!" Lilly paused and looked up out of the corner of her eye with a squint. "Well, he does satisfy his baser needs," Lilly spoke more calmly and faced Mary. "But he only does that with me," she smirked.

Lilly heard Arthur groan. Mary gawked at the Irish woman and blushed. "A-A lady shouldn't speak such things!"

"I ain't a lady! And if ya knew how _fantastic_ of a lover he is, I guarantee ya never woulda left him! Ya woulda said tah hell with dear old Daddy and married Arthur anyway! But it worked out in the end because now I have him, and I took an oath to love, honor, cherish, and protect this man! And I will protect him. From you!"

"Lillian, darlin'," Arthur said to try and reason with his wife.

Lilly held up a finger to her husband while still glaring at Mary. "I'm not done yet, mo fhear céile onórach..." _[_ _my honorable husband...]_ When Arthur didn't respond, she lowered her hand. "He won't be helpin' you. I will."

Mary backed up a step. "You will? Why?"

"Because ya need help. And Arthur came runnin' like the knight in shinin' armor he is! So I will do it fer him. Besides...I'm even scarier than he is. Now," Lilly grabbed Mary by the arm and dragged her along the sidewalk. "Ya can tell me on the way what ya need!" Lilly stopped and looked at Arthur with a sneer. "Ya stay put, Mr. Morgan! When I come back, we are gonna have a dialogue, ya hear me?"

Arthur slowly nodded with a sheepish smile. "Yes, Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly flashed her teeth at him. "Ya know what that does to me, bithiúnach."

"Tá a fhios agam freisin cad ag caint Gaeilge a dhéanann duit..." Arthur smiled with a seductive twinkle in his eyes. "Agus de mise coinín. Faigheann sé sáithithe." _[I also know what Irish does to you. And to your pussy. It gets soaked.]_

Lilly blushed. "Tá tú uafásach. Cinnte uafásach." _[You are terrible. Absolutely terrible.]_ Lilly looked back at Mary who looked oblivious and out of place. "Come on, let's go." Lilly walked with Mary down the sidewalk. "Now, please explain yer dire situation, Mrs. Linton."

"Well, Daddy's been drinkin' and gamblin' and...other things."

Lilly shook her head. "Ooooh, how dare he," Lilly teased. "Where is he at?"

"He said he was going down to the Theadore Eckhart Stables. Something about a horse."

"Ah, I know the place. Over by the warehouse district. By the water."

"Have you been here before, Lilly?"

Lilly chuckled. "I used to live here, Mrs. Linton. Did Arthur not mention that?"

"No," Mary sighed. "He never mentioned...a lot of things about you, but...I do feel bad about that dress. For your birthday."

Lilly laughed. "Oh, relax. Not even Da, Athair, or Arthur knew little dresses were a...trigger for me." Lilly motioned to Liath. "Well, shall we?"

Mary's eyes went wide. "Oh my, what a beautiful Ardennes."

"Yes," Lilly helped Mary onto the back of Liath, then Lilly saddled up herself. "A gift. From Arthur."

"Really?"

Lilly smiled to herself. Oh, she was going to enjoy making this woman regret hurting Arthur, but Lilly had a feeling she was going to enjoy hurting Mr. Gillis more. "Yep." Lilly turned the horse and they trotted down the street. "Arthur goes to the highest degree to gratify me."

"Yes, he always was a big gifter. Especially when we fought."

Lilly laughed. "Now...about Mr. Gillis. How bad is it?"

"It's gotten worse," Mary spoke sadly. "He's drinkin' and gamblin' more than ever. Pawnin' things off left and right. Mixin' with bad people. I'm just scared for him."

Lilly felt a little guilty. It wasn't Mary's fault Mr. Gillis was a drunken arse. "Don't you worry now, Mrs. Linton. I'll set him straight."

"...You can call me Mary, you know."

"Alright, Mary. Oh, here we are."

Lilly slowed Liath, got off, and hitched the horse. The women made their way to the stable doors, but Mary stopped and looked at Lilly. "Let me go in and see what kind of a state he's in."

Lilly guffawed. "Oh please. He might make Arthur shake in his boots, but not me." Lilly shoved the doors open and skimmed the area. She spotted Mr. Gillis arguing with a man. "Hey! Mr. Gillis!" Lilly ambled on over. "I need tah have a chat with ya!"

Mr. Gillis saw Lilly and scoffed. "Excuse me!? Who are you?!"

Lilly stood a few inches from the man. "I am here on behalf of Mary, ya sorry excuse of a man!"

"Do you know who you're talkin' to?!" he shouted in her face.

"Oooh, I know very well who I'm talkin' to," she chuckled viciously then shoved him. He fell right on his ass. "I am talkin' to Mr. Gillis. Gambler. Whoremongerer. Alcoholic. Father of one begrieved, worried, and very upset Mary Linton!" Lilly took a step forward and Mr. Gillis scooted back. "What the hell is wrong with ya?! Why have ya turned into such a damn fool?!"

Mr. Gillis stood up...with difficulty. "You have no right to talk to me!"

"Oh ho ho, but I do! I'm actually a countess, so not only do I got the right tah talk tah ya, I got the right tah talk down tah yas!" Lilly took another step and Mr. Gillis backed up. "Yer daughter sent a letter tah _my_ husband beggin' fer his help in dealin' with ya! One Arthur Morgan! Ya remember him, don'tcha?!

Mr. Gillis growled. "That man?! That no good unlawful deviant?!"

Lilly slapped the man in the face and pointed at him. "Do _not_ speak about me husband that way or I'll rip out yer innards, ya filthy old fart!"

"Lilly!" Mary gasped loudly.

"How dare you!" Mr. Gillis went to hit her but Lilly grabbed his arm and gave him daggers with her eyes. "No. How dare _you,_ Mr. Gillis. Makin' yer daughter sick with worry over ya, drivin' off yer son so bad he went and joined a turtle worshippin' cult...however, Mr. Morgan persuaded Jamie out of it. By talkin' to him nicely. Now..." Lilly grabbed two stools, one for her and one for the drunk. "Sit."

Mr. Gillis shook his head. "I will not sit on that filthy-"

"SIT THE FUCK DOWN, MR. GILLIS!" Lilly's voice boomed. The horses stomped and hit their gates. "NOW!" He sat down on the stool immediately. Lilly looked back at Mary and winked. "Told ya." Lilly sat on the stool in front of Mr. Gillis and studied him. Yes, he was frightened enough. "Now...shall we begin the dialogue, Mr. Gillis?"


	43. Saint Denis

The gentleman crouched on the stool and stared at Lilly with wide, bloodshot eyes. Lilly smiled nicely. "Alright, I'll start. Mr. Gillis, why are you behavin' this way?"

Mr. Gillis scoffed. "In what way?"

"This...unbecomin' and horrible behavior, Mr. Gillis. The drinkin', the gamblin', the sleepin' around with women and such. What is drivin' you to do this?"

He blinked at her and chuckled angrily. "I don't have to explain myself to you!"

Lilly sighed and leaned back a little. "I agree wholeheartedly, sir. Indeed I do. But," Lilly looked back at Mary. She seemed worried. Lilly turned her attention back to Mr. Gillis. "Mary, your daughter, you could explain yourself to her. I would very much insist on it. If..." Lilly trailed off.

"If what?!"

Lilly shook her head. "If you could control your anger. Because I hear you have a hard time with that and I'd prefer if you did not yell and shout at your very concerned daughter. So..." Lilly scooted her stool a little closer. "If you're goin' to explain yourself to her, you're gonna have to explain it to me first."

"And why would I do that, um...what was your name?" he asked.

"Lillian Morgan," she mumbled. "Not sure you remember me, but-"

Recognition washed over the man's face. "Oh yes. Little Lilly O'Callaghan! Ha, last time I saw you, you were...hmm, 8, wasn't it?"

"Yes sir."

Mr. Gillis sighed heavily. "So, you married Arthur, did you?"

"That is correct."

"How is that workin' out for you?"

"Just fine, Mr. Gillis. Despite what you think of him, he is a good man."

"It was never about him bein' a good man or not. It was about the life he was leadin'."

"Understandable. You were thinkin' of Mary and how her life would be, and to compare outlaws with law abidin' citizens or decent folk is like comparin' nags to thoroughbreds," she said with a grin.

Mr. Gillis laughed. "That's a good way to put it."

"It is. But, if I may ask you a question?"

"Of course, Mrs. Morgan,"

"While my morals are questionable, bein' an outlaw myself, I do try not to throw stones because I myself have sins to atone for. I believe there are no absolutes. Only shades of gray," she said, quoting Herr Strauss. "As a testament to that, do you consider yourself a good man?"

Mr. Gillis gaped at her. "Of course I do!"

"And how does a good man act? Do you think your behavior falls into the column of goodness?"

"I..." Mr. Gillis started, but then he lowered his head. "No...no it does not."

"Uh huh. And if I may also ask, when did you stop actin' like a good man?"

"...When Mrs. Gillis died." Mr. Gillis said glumly.

"Ah, I see. The death of a loved one is a hard thing to go through," Lilly frowned.

"Did you lose someone, Mrs. Morgan?"

"Multiple someones," Lilly sighed and crossed her arms. "My entire family."

"I am sorry to hear that, young lady. May I ask how?"

"Of course. My parents and my little sister died on The Emerald Star. We were emigratin' from Ireland and...well, it sank. James, me baby brother, he died in New York from pneumonia. And Brian, my last livin' relative, was beaten and murdered here in Saint Denis two years later." Lilly still had to figure out how her brothers got reincarnated into wolves and why, now that she was reminded of their deaths.

"My God. How old were you when you emigrated?"

"I was five years old, sir. I've seen a great deal of death. It makes people lash out from grief. Self-destruct. Hurt those closest to their hearts. And I definitely self-destructed and lashed out after Brian died."

Mr. Gillis frowned with sympathy. "How did you lash out?"

"...Well, I better not go into the details, Mr. Gillis. But, sir, my point is the drinkin', the whorin' and the gamblin' is your way of lashin' out. You still grieve for your wife and you haven't been able to deal with that grief properly. But what saved me from my own destruction, from my grief, were three men. Dutch Van der Linde, Hosea Matthews, and Arthur Morgan. If it hadn't been for them, I would've turned into one of the bad criminals who be givin' the good ones an abominable reputation."

Mr. Gillis stared at her in shock. "So...what do you suggest I do to stop my own destruction?"

Lilly chuckled, moved herself closer, and took the man's hands into hers. "You must allow yourself to grieve, sir. If you don't, you will never get over it and you may very well lose the rest of your family. Is that what you want, Mr. Gillis? Is this what your wife would have wanted for you?"

Mr. Gillis had tears in his eyes. "No. But I miss her so much."

"Of course you do. That's the natural way of things. I miss my family every single day, but I no longer grieve for their deaths. Instead, I dwell on the the good times and I celebrate the time I had with them. And I also recommend that you go to your daughter, hug her, and mend the bond that has been strained for quite some time."

Mr. Gillis patted her hands. "Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. You are very wise for one so young."

Lilly laughed. "So I have been told." She stood up, helping the still buzzed man to his feet. "Now go on, ya silly man."

Mr. Gillis and Mary both closed the gap and hugged each other. Lilly smiled to herself. Mary looked at her and mouthed a 'thank you' with tears in her eyes. She bowed herself slightly in response and went to leave. "Oh, Mrs. Morgan?" Mr. Gillis called to her.

Lilly turned and grinned. "Yes sir?"

"Would you please...convey my sincerest apologies to your husband? Because if Arthur influenced you growing up, I can see now that...he really is a good man."

Holy shit. "I certainly will, Mr. Gillis. Mrs. Linton," she said before exiting the stable. As she walked, Lilly's jaw dropped and she covered her mouth. What the fuck just happened? How the hell did she just mend a broken family? And how did she get him to see Arthur as a good man? Lilly mounted up on Liath and headed back to the Hotel Grand where Arthur was waiting with her brothers. She got down from her horse and confronted him. "Seriously, Arthur?"

"What?" he puffed out.

Lilly shook her head, pivoting her hip and crossing her arms over her chest. "Helpin' that woman out a _second_ time?"

Arthur frowned. "Oh. Look, I know, I know, I just-"

Lilly chuckled and kissed him. "Relax. I'm only yankin' yer chain. Oh, by the way, Mr. Gillis wished to convey his sincerest apologies to you."

"...What?"

"Yep," Lilly said with a giant smile and a giggle. "Apparently, you're a good man now because you helped raise me, and I basically fixed the whole problem with "Dear Old Daddy", so..."

Arthur gave her the most flabbergasted expression. "How in the hell did you manage that?"

"We talked. Didn't know how to handle the death of his wife properly, so I set him on the straight and narrow."

"How do you know it'll stick?"

Lilly shrugged. "I don't, but I did make him cry."

Arthur's eyes bugged out. "Are you shittin' me? How?"

"With my smile, of course" Lilly said with an innocent voice.

It made Arthur cackle loudly. "Yes, you do have a beautiful smile."

Lilly smirked and grabbed her husband by his suspenders, kissing him softly. "And you're hair is long."

"Ha! You don't like it?"

"I do, actually," she said, brushing her fingers through it. "Now you just need whiskers," she teased. "Although your stubble is somethin' I find to be very arousin'," she said, arching an eyebrow.

"Arousin', huh?"

"Yes." Lilly kissed his chin. "My honey pot needs your cock right fuckin' now, in fact," she whispered.

Arthur chortled and kissed her neck. "Just say where."

Lilly grinned and grabbed his hand. "Boys, stay." The wolves sat down and Lilly pulled Arthur into an alley to the right of the hotel. "This way."

"Ha! Are we doin' this in public?"

Lilly giggled, making another right as they walled past a group of people. "Yes. You scared?"

"Hell no," he replied with a giddy scoff. Lilly dragged him straight through until they found a secluded area with barrels and boxes. They both went behind some boxes and immediately started necking. Arthur was about to yank her pants down when she stopped him. "What?"

With a devilish grin, Lilly took his hand and put it between her legs. "Special pants."

Arthur jerked his head as he felt her bare wetness. "You are so bad, Lilly. You been walkin' around like this the whole time?"

"Of course."

Arthur laughed, picked her up, and set her on a box. "You little minx."

Lilly opened her legs and leaned back, pressing her palms on the box to keep her upper body hoisted up. Arthur unbuttoned his pants quickly and put himself inside Lilly. He began thrusting slow and easy inside his wife as her legs embraced him. Arthur placed his hands on the box and pumped in and out with deep and steady strokes. Lilly pulled his head close with one hand and kissed him passionately, so Arthur held her upper body up so she wouldn't fall over. His thrusts went deeper as they kept their mouths locked together. Arthur lifted her up without pulling out and put her back to the wall. Lilly put her arms around him as they continued their frenzied kissing.

"Níos tapúla," _[Faster]_ Lilly begged. When Arthur obliged, she moaned against his lips. "Sea, sea, sea, tuilleadh! Tuilleadh! Crua!" _[Yes, yes, yes, more! More! Hard!]_ Arthur pumped harder into her and she moaned again while he began to grunt over and over again. "Ó a Dhia, ó a Dhia, ó a Dhia, sea! Sea!" _[Oh God, oh God, oh God, yes! Yes!]_ Arthur's cock felt so good inside her. Her orgasm began to peak over the edge as her inner vaginal walls started to pulsate. "Labhair i nGaeilge. Déan dom teacht," she gasped. _[Speak in Irish. Make me come.]_

"Tá sé seo chomh te. Tá do coinín chomh te," _[This is so hot. Your pussy is so hot.]_ Arthur growled into her neck amd bit her flesh, pushing into her with much more force and speed. "Mo bhean álainn, tá mé ag teastáil uait! Is breá liom tú! Ní féidir liom maireachtáil gan tú!" _[My beautiful woman, I need you! I love you! I can not live without you!]_

Lilly's orgasm hit her hard and she moaned loudly into Arthur's mouth, her hips bucking into him while her womanhood twitched in rhythm of Arthur's thrusts. He gripped her hair and nibbled, kissed, licked and sucked on her collarbone, shoulders, neck, and earlobes. "Ó, mo ghrá. Mo leon. Mo fhear céile. Is mise mise go deo." _[Oh, my love. My lion. My husband. I am yours forever.]_

Arthur clenched his teeth on the flesh of Lilly's neck and groaned harshly as his dick spasmed inside her, releasing his seed. They both had raspy breaths as Lilly held close to his chest, putting her feet to the ground. "Christ, that was hot," Arthur wheezed out.

Lilly nodded in agreement. "You pleased me well, my husband."

"And you pleased me," Arthur said, kissing his wife softly. "I'm hungry."

Lilly laughed. "So am I."

"Ice cream?"

"After. I want real food first."

Arthur pulled her away from the wall, kissing her once more. "Like what?"

"Steak."

Arthur grabbed her hand and they walked together out of the alley. They whistled for their horses Liath and Rose to follow. After their lunch and dessert, the married couple stabled their horses and decided to walk around to take in the place. Arthur said he hated it and it made Lilly laugh.

"What are you laughin' at?" he asked, chuckling as they walked.

"You think this is bad? New York City was bad. The smell was atrocious there, and it was much more crowded than here."

"Can't argue with that."

Eventually they found their way to a place called Doyle's Tavern and walked in, leaving Brian and James outside. There was a French man leaning over the bar who looked at them and smiled. "Hello. Hey, buy me a drink, mon ami." _[my friend.]_

Lilly shook her head and looked at Arthur. "I better not partake, but should I treat you both to drinks since you paid for lunch?"

"Sure, why not?" Arthur laughed.

"What would you like, sir?" Lilly asked the man.

"Brandy," he replied gruffly.

"Two brandies, please."

"It's two dollars a glass."

Arthur laughed. "It better be good, then."

Lilly put four dollars on the table. "That's usually how it goes in big cities, mo chuisle. Expensive but usually worth it."

"That's right," the bartender said as he served the drinks. "It's the best. Do you want anything, lady?"

"Do ya got cola?"

"Yep. That is three fifty a bottle."

Arthur put three dollars and fifty cents on the bar. "You bought my drink, I buy yours."

Lilly got her cola. "Thank you, Arthur."

"Thank you," the man said to Lilly. They all clinked their drinks together. "Santé."

"Sláinte," Lilly said.

"Uh, cheers," Arthur said, not knowing what else to say.

Lilly giggled and took a drink as the two men took theirs. The French man took his whole shot while Arthur sipped his. "Ah, it's quite a country you're building here, eh?" the French man said as he took a handful of peanuts.

"What, me personally?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know. What do you two do?"

"Mostly we just shoot people." Arthur finished his drink and Lilly paid for more brandy.

"How very American of you. I love it."

"What do you do?"

Lilly leaned her back against the bar as she took another drink of cola as she listened to the men talk. "Mostly I...I pose, I show off, I complain."

"Well, how very French."

"I know," the man said with a chuckle, taking more peanuts. "I am ridiculous. Ha, I have been all over the world, I have seen the sights, and I have discovered the one eternal truth. That I am a prize, how do you say, whole ass."

"Asshole?" Arthur asked in confusion.

"Mmm, that too, that too," the man said as he pat Arthur's shoulder. All three of them laughed.

"Well, at least you have some self-knowledge. Where were you on your journey?" Arthur took another shot of brandy.

"All the civilised world. Painting my little pictures, meeting the locals, you know."

"You a painter?"

"No. I'm a whole ass. I thought we had covered this?"

The men laughed again. "Yeah yeah, but you paint?"

"Not according to the salons of Paris, no. According to them, I cannot draw, I cannot paint, and I should go away. So I went away."

"You miss Paris?"

"Mmm, that smelly, filthy place with old buildings and ghosts and shit and French people? I have that right here."

Arthur crossed his arms. "I guess so."

"You know, eh," the man held out his hand for a shake while Lilly smiled at them both. Lilly was happy Arthur found a new friend.

"Arthur. That there is Lilly, my wife."

"Charles." Lilly also shook hands with the man. "You know, Arthur, don't believe in art. It's lies. Believe in women," Charles motioned to Lilly, "they're the truth. Art is lies. But the vagina! That is truth!"

Lilly spit out her drink and began laughing hysterically. "Ó a Dhia!" _[Oh my God!]_

Charles and Arthur laughed at her. "Did I offend you?"

Lilly laughed. "No. That was funnier than hell, you talkin' about vaginas," she said, wiping her shirt and mouth. "I like you."

Charles laughed. "Yes! Breasts! Vaginas! They are truth! Art is for idiots."

"If you say so," Arthur chuckled.

"Trust me, I've tried both. One is better, muuuch better."

Arthur laughed. "I can believe that."

Lilly grinned. "Then I'd like to point out that sex is also truth."

Charles gaped at her and laughed. "She gets it! Elaborate!"

Lilly laughed and elaborated. "To, hmm, my French is rusty, but, I just came up with this. Peindre c'est aimer et faire l'amour est divin."

"To paint is to love and to make love is divine." Charles repeated in English. "That is beautiful, Lilly."

Arthur raised a brow at his wife. "Labhraím go leor teangacha," Lilly said to him with a wink. _[I speak many languages.]_

"Chruthú é," Arthur dared. _[Prove it.]_

"Another time."

"So, I uh, must ne boring you but here," Charles said, giving Arthur a piece of paper.

"What is it?" Arthur asked as he picked it up.

"It's just a little doodle. You know, entirely worthless unless you want to wipe your bottom with it but I wanted to say thank you for the drinks and conversation."

"Well that's very kind, Charles."

Lilly looked at the picture and smiled. It was a naked woman. "I like it," she said. "Are all your subjects naked women?"

"No. I've painted naked men too."

Lilly gasped then looked at Arthur mischeviously. "You should paint my husband. He is quite a specimen to the human species."

Arthur eyeballed her with a scolding but frisky look. "You stop that."

"Or maybe you could paint me. Or both of us!" Lilly giggled.

Arthur cackled. "That...that's not-'," he said.

"Oh, I will do it!" Charles exclaimed.

"Lillian, I don't think-"

Lilly had a thought. "Oh! Ya must include me wolves in the painting!"

"Your wolves?" Charles asked.

Lilly ran to the door with a smile and opened it. "Brian! James!"

The two wolves padded in and Charles' eyes widened. "What giant beasts!"

Lilly bounced a few times and giggled. "I know!"

Charles walked around to examine the wolves. "Well, they are different than my usual subjects, but of course they should be included!"

Arthur went to protest but Lilly ran up to him and pouted. "Please? Pretty please? I wanna be painted naked with ya!"

Arthur squinted his eyes at her then at Charles. "Fine, but you ain't paintin' my cock."

"Of course, Arthur! Of course! Whatever pose you want!" He pulled out a card and gave it to them. "Meet me at my studio tomorrow and I shall paint all of you! Oh, so exciting!"

Lilly, Arthur, Brian and James left the saloon and continued on their tour of Saint Denis. Lilly stopped at a store and came out with a jar of pickles and some salted beef. She started chowing into them both and Arthur laughed as Lilly stuffed her face. "I'm startin' to think that pouch of yours is more than just the baby."

Lilly glared at Arthur. "Are you callin' me fat?"

"A little bit." When Lilly pouted with a sad face, Arthur chortled. "I'm only teasin', darlin'. You make a beautiful fat woman."

Lilly's mouth scrunched and she threw a pickle at Arthur's head. "Arse!"

Arthur laughed as he wiped pickle juice off his face. "I deserved that, I'm sorry."

Lilly hmphed but they continued on in good spirits. As they wandered towards the Saint Denis market, they saw a monk asking for money.

"Help the poor...help the poor," the monk said. They walked up to him and the monk smiled with hope in his eyes. "You, kind sir. Will you help the poor? Oh my," he said, looking at the wolves.

"They're harmless," Lilly assured him.

"Yes, they're kind, but I ain't so kind," Arthur said.

"Yes you are, sir. You have it in you, I can tell," the monk said.

"I'm a nasty bit of work, father."

Lilly chomped on a pickle as she watched in amusement. She loved when Arthur acted grumpy. It was cute to her. "You're wrong on two counts, sir. I'm a humble Brother. A penitent monk, not a priest...and you're a magnificent bit of work. You may have made some...some poor choices, but which of us hasn't?"

Arthur smirked before he laughed and shook his head. "You have no idea."

"But you do, and God does, and that's enough for me and for him."

Arthur leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "We shall see." Lilly went next to him and grabbed another pickle to eat.

"That we shall, sir, but why don't you hedge your bets and give two bits to the poor? There are so many who will go hungry tonight."

Lilly backhanded Arthur lightly on the chest. "Oh come on. If you don't, I will," she said as she chewed on some salted beef.

Arthur sighed and reached into his satchel. "Sure." He tossed some coins into the monk's bowl.

"Bless you, sir," the man said.

"How you gettin' on, anyhow?"

"These are a somewhat apathetic lot, I'm afraid."

"Hmm. My uh, my father-in-law says that America is designed to induce apathy in people."

Lilly chomped on her food and grinned. "Ha! He told ya that too, aye?"

"Yes, he did."

"That's a wonderful insight," the monk said, walking around then back to them both. "He must be a wise man, your father-in-law."

Arthur cackled softly. "Well sometimes he's a downright fool but...eh, usually, he's the best man I know," Arthur said, inclining his head a few times.

"That's wonderful. The, the thing is I'm...well, poverty will always be with us, but slavery," the monk looked over the wall into the market, "I-I thought we had banished that."

Lilly blinked and looked over the wall with Arthur. "What now?" Lilly asked. "Oh god, don't tell me Saint Denis still has that shite!"

"I'm afraid so," the monk replied. "Saint Denis is acting as a staging post for shipping slaves out to some of the islands."

"I don't believe you, it's 1899," Arthur said roughly.

"Maybe you should have a look yourself." Arthur left the wall and stared beyond the market entrance as the monk continued. "I've heard that the pawnbroker down the block around the corner, the one with the green door, well they say he

sells more than forlorn trinkets."

Lilly lowered her head. "Arthur, if that's still goin' on..."

Arthur stopped her. "You stay here. I'll take care of this," he said almost angrily before marching through the market.

A soft grin formed on her lips. "You were right, ya know."

The monk looked at her. "About what?"

"My husband. He is a magnificent piece of work." Lilly sighed and held out the jar. "Would ya like a pickle, Brother?"

The monk smiled and took one. "Thank you." He took a bite and sighed. "Pickles are very good."

"Mmhmm," Lilly said, leaning back against the wall. She reached into her bag and put money in the bowl.

"Thank you again," the monk chuckled. "He's your husband, then?"

"Yes. Lilly Morgan." Lilly put the pickle in her mouth and shook the man's hand.

"Brother Dorkins."

"Hmm. Well, if ya dunna mind," Lilly slumped to the ground slowly and sat. "Me feet are swellin' up again, so I gotta sit down."

"Are you alright?"

"Oh yes. Just an expectant mother, is all."

"Oh. Well, congratulations," Dorkins said before chewing on his pickle.

Lilly put the lid back on the jar and finished off her pickle before putting the jar in her satchel. "Thank you, Brother."

The wolves nuzzled her face and she giggled. "I'm alright, darlin's, I'm alright."

"Did you raise these two? And what are you feeding them?"

Lilly laughed. "I've had them for...hmm, a few months now. They were a lot smaller when I got them, so I suppose I have raised them a bit. And I don't know what they eat when they're out huntin' on their own, but either they go after big game or they go after a lot of game."

"You don't keep them with you all the time?"

"Nah, they're wolves. They deserve to have their freedom, even though we do share a bond."

"That's a wonderful sentiment to have." Lilly nodded, grabbed more salted beef and gave Brian and James each a piece, which they gobbled down gratefully.

"Brother?" Lilly heard Arthur say and she looked up to see him and two lost looking men in dirty clothes.

"Brother Dorkins, friend."

"Arthur. Arthur Morgan." Arthur grabbed the men and directed them over to Dorkins. He looked down at Lilly. "You feelin' alright?"

"Yes. Just my feet are swellin' up," she said, taking off her boots and rubbing her feet. "That and I forgot to take my cacao extract this mornin', so I'm a wee bit tired."

"Ah, Lilly," he said, kneeling down and lifting her chin. "Is forgetfulness a pregnancy thing too?"

"I can't remember," Lilly said with a smirk.

"Ha!" Arthur laughed. "You're funny." He looked over at Brother Dorkins and pointed at the two men. "You were right. I found these two imprisoned in that shop."

"Oh my," Dorkins said, looking over the wall again. "That's well they are blessed to have met you, Arthur."

"Trust me, in that they're very unusual," Arthur said, walking to stand next to his wife. Lilly tried to put her boots back on. They were too snug. Arthur s poke as he helped Lilly up. "I don't think they speak much English."

"My brothers, come. Let's go get something to eat. Uh-"

"I got this," Lilly said. She walked to the two frightened men. "¿Tienes hambre? Este monje quiere alimentarte. Vé con él." _[Are you hungry? This monk wants to feed you. Go with him.]_

"Sí, gracias señor. Gracias, dama," one man said. _[Yes, thank you sir. Thank you lady.]_

"De nada, señores." _[You're welcome, gentlemen.]_

The monk went to leave with the men but Arthur spoke up. "Hey, you forgot

this." He held out the bowl of money.

"Oh, yes," Dorkins said as he turned around and grabbed the bowl. "Thank you, I, uh...here. Payment. For your services. I could not have freed these men myself."

Arthur stared at the bowl then glanced at Lilly who shrugged. "Your call, mo chuisle."

Arthur declined the money. "Give it to the poor, Brother."

"...Thank you, I will. Like I said, magnificent. Come on, come come come," the monk said, directing the two men to come with him. "Come see me again some time. I often work at the old church on Gasper Street in St. Frances."

Lilly smiled at Arthur. "That was very nice, Arthur."

"Ah, I just," Arthur chuckled. "I don't know, I-"

Lilly kissed his cheek. "Líonann tú mé le bród. And you are magnificent." _[You fill me with pride.]_

Arthur actually blushed. "Thank you, mo stór. Now," he lifted her boots from the ground. "Should I get the horses so you don't have to walk around barefoot?"

"No, I can walk barefoot. Not like I haven't done that before."

"Or walked around naked."

* * *

_34-year-old Arthur in his grizzly outlaw outfit was walking around a river area when he spotted Lilly balancing on a log over the river. She had on a white button down shirt and beige shorts that went to her knees. He laughed. "Whatcha doin'?"_

_Lilly looked up and smiled at him. "Practicin'."_

_"Practicin' what?"_

_"My moves." Lilly balanced on one leg, twisted, and kicked the air._

_"Woa, be careful."_

_"I'm always careful."_

_Just then some deer came running out of the woods amd knocked into the log. Lilly lost her balance and fell into the river. "Oh shit!" Arthur laughed._

_Lilly reappeared and yelled at the deer that was now running away. "Ya bastard twat of an animal! I'll skin yer hide if I ever see ya again, ya fuck!"_

_Arthur bowled over into hysterics. "Hahahaaaa! That's the funniest thing I've seen all day!"_

_"Oh, shaddup Arthur!" Lilly said angrily. She went trudging out of the water to the river bank and shook herself like a wet dog._

_Arthur continued laughing until he noticed her clothes. He could see her nipples and breasts. "Uh...Lillian..." he gulped as he felt his pants tighten. "Your shirt."_

_Lilly looked down and laughed. "Ha! Me bobbles and knobs are showin'!"_

_Arthur got up, still staring at her. He couldn't help himself and he walked over to her. "That's um...do you want my jacket?"_

_"No." Lilly smiled at him suggestively and began to unbutton her shirt. "I'm gonna hafta hang these up tah dry."_

_Arthur inched closed, grabbing her hands. "You're gonna hang around here naked?"_

_"I might go swimmin'." Lilly smirked. "Would you like to join me for a skinny dippin'?"_

_Arthur smiled seductively and narrowed his eyes, unbuttoning Lilly's shirt slowly. "If I can do this..."_

_He slipped the shirt off Lilly's shoulders and pulled the shirt open just barely. He looked down and felt his erection get harder. "You make me..."_

_"Yes?" Lilly said breathlessly._

_"You make me so..."_

_"Yes, Arthur?"_

_"You make me feel like a dirty old man," he said._

_"Is that bad?"_

_"I...don't know."_

_Lilly removed his hands. "Well, I wouldn't want you to feel bad about it, Arthur," she said with a pout. "If you want to stop with our flirtin', I-"_

_Arthur pulled her close. "Don't you be jokin' about that, woman. I always look forward to your attention." He watched her blush and he neared his lips to hers. "Never say that again, Lilly."_

_"...Are you worried I might find a new favorite?" Lilly asked, unbuttoning the rest of her shirt. "Because you know I'd never let them see me like this. Only you."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you will always be my favorite, no matter what."_

_Arthur felt his knees almost go weak. He stared into her eyes. "Show me, Lilly."_

_Lilly slowly pulled her shirt down. "I would never let anyone else see me naked. Not up close or on purpose, at least."_

_Arthur stared down at her breasts pressed against him and he took a deep breath. "And that means?"_

_Lilly smirked, turned around, and walked to a tree to hang up her shirt. "It means I won't stop a man from lookin', but he tries anythin', I'll kill him. You, however..." Lilly turned back around, covering herself. "I would welcome you, just like I'm doin' now." Lilly walked up to him. "Do you want my permission? I'll even let you," Lilly grabbed his hand and pressed his palm in between her breasts. "Touch 'em."_

_Arthur took another deep breath as he looked down at her. "You are a beautiful woman, Lillian Rose. May I have your permission?"_

_Lilly giggled. "Work for it, first."_

_Arthur pressed his lips to her ear. "I can do a lot to work for it, Lillian. I could just rip the rest of these clothes off and fuck you into oblivion, if you'd have me."_

_He felt the Irish lass shudder against him. "And by fucking me into oblivion, you mean?"_

_"You'd never want another man for the rest of your life because I'd make you feel so hot and wet, you'd never feel that way with anyone else. I would guarantee it. I would fuck you so good you'd beg me to stop, but I wouldn't."_

_"...You have permission to touch me. Anywhere."_

_Arthur cupped a breast and squeezed, making the woman in his arm moan. "Talk to me, Lilly."_

_"I...touch me. Touch me more."_

_Arthur took his other hand and cupped the other breast. His thumbs teased to touch her nipples and Lilly whimpered. He wanted her so bad. "Give me permission to have all of you and I will most certainly make it more than worth your while."_

_"I...I...oh, Arthur," she moaned. "I...really can't be broken," she giggled. "You won't ever make me give in, no matter how much you make me feel...whatever it is you make me feel."_

_"You don't know how you feel?" he asked gruffly, placing a soft kiss on her neck before grazing her ear with his lips._ _"Why not?"_

_"I...ahem..." Lilly grabbed his hands and removed them from her breasts. "Not today, mo creiche."_ _[my prey.]_

_"Someday?"_

_"...Let's go swimmin'," Lilly backed up with a grin. She turned, removed her shorts, and ran to the river. "Come on, slow poke!"_

_Arthur shook his head. Something told him she was scared of her feelings, but it was hard to believe Lilly was scared of anything. He began undressing as he walked to the river._


	44. Out For Blood

"I still can't believe you talked me into this," Arthur said as he posed naked with his wife, standing behind her with his arms around her. They were both standing sideways to Charles' view and Arthur was thankful that his nether regions were not visible, although half his ass was exposed to the gentleman. Brian was staring up at Lilly's belly as if to protect the hidden cargo inside while James lay peacefully at the couple's feet.

"Oh, calm down," Lilly remarked as she caressed her pregnant belly. "At least this won't take as long our portraits done in Ireland."

"...What portraits?"

"Don't you remember seein' my family portrait at Darach ar an gCnoc?"

"Yes."

"Well, that was one of the things us nobles had to do. Sit or stand for hours on end to get painted. And that's what we're gonna do."

Arthur sighed begrudgingly. "Well, at least we won't be naked."

Charles looked away from the painting to glance at Lilly. "You are a noble?"

"Yes," Lilly said. "Granted, my father and mother weren't. My father earned the title for, uh, a wonderful deed."

"Ah, and what was that?"

"...Well, he killed someone who was apparently causin' all the famines in Ireland."

Charles blinked. "...Your father was Sir Jack the Godslayer?"

Lilly chuckled. "I guess I'm not surprised that he was famous but I didn't think it got past the pond."

"Oh, he was most definitely spoken of in France." Charles went back to painting. "I can concentrate on the wolves now if you want a break. We've been at this for five hours now and you are with child."

Lilly nodded and found a chair to sit in. Arthur put on his pants quickly and sat in a chair next to Lilly. "Ain't you gonna get dressed?"

"Nah. It's hot in here anyway."

"Seems cool enough to me."

"Abigail and the doctor in Rhodes said this might happen no matter how cold my environment is. "Hot flashes", they called it."

"Oh." Arthur laughed. "I'm glad I ain't pregnant. Seems like a lot of work and you're only a third of the way through."

Lilly gasped and grabbed her stomach. "Oh, the wee bairn is movin' about again."

Arthur put a hand to her belly. "I can't wait to feel hin kick."

"Neither can I, but Abigail said I'll regret that later on. Oof," Lilly reached for her shirt and put it on. "Now I'm gettin' chilly."

Charles stopped what he was doing and found her a blanket. She accepted gratefully and wrapped it around her body. Charles went back to painting. "This is my first time doing a family portrait. Maybe when the baby is born, I can paint you all together."

"That would be wonderful," Lilly said with a smile.

It took only an hour for the wolves to get done and Arthur and Lilly undressed once more to repose. Arthur still felt a little uncomfortable but Lilly wanted it done. And really, it wasn't _that_ bad as time went on. Charles mentioned he only needed to finish the lighting of them and the background. It took only an hour for him to finish. "Ah! C'est fait! Come see!"

Lilly and Arthur quickly got dressed and came walking over. Lilly covered her mouth with a giggle. "Oh, Mrs. Châtenay, you painted Arthur's arse perfectly."

Arthur squinted at his bottom. "Does my ass really look like that?"

"Yes, Mo Fear Álainn. You have a wonderful ass."

Charles laughed. "Ah, you both are so in love. It pleases me. Arthur, what do you think?"

Arthur took a glance at the painting and nodded. "It's not bad, not bad at all. I...I like it."

Lilly giggled and kissed her husband. "Oh, oh, you wonderful man!"

Arthur laughed and kissed her. "Shut up."

"Arthur, Lilly, I was wondering if I could present this painting in my art show," Charles asked with a smile.

"Oh God yes!" Lilly squeaked.

Arthur groaned. "Fiiine, but...Lilly, don't you dare tell anyone in camp about this."

"My lips are sealed." They left the studio with the wolves and Arthur smiled at Lilly's happiness. "Oh Arthur, you've made me so happy! How can I do the same for you? There must be somethin'!"

Arthur laughed and held her close. "Just your smile will do, Lillian."

Lilly squealed and kissed her husband on the cheeks over and over again. "I love you! I love you I love you I love you!"

Arthur broke into hysterics and kissed his wife deeply. It turned into one of passion and Arthur grinned into her mouth. "On second thought, let's go somewhere private."

"Of course, mo fear chéile."

* * *

 _Tilly getting kidnapped. Kieran riding into camp, decapitated and holding his head with his eyes missing. The bank of Saint Denis. A ship sinking in a storm. Roses. Orchids. Swamps. Darach ar an gCnoc and Lilly's oak tree in the distance. Lilly giving birth to a dark blonde haired boy and a red headed girl. Albert Mason, the wolves and Arthur in the swamps. Angelo Bronte_.

_Lilly finds herself on the river banks of Tír na nÓg once more. Her family plays outside on the other side of the bank._

_"You'll talk to them again, child," a woman says._

_Lilly turns around and sees a giant red wolf. Lilly smiles. "Hello again, Morrigan."_

_"Hello again, child. Walk with me." The woman and the wolf walk side by side on the river bank. "You have questions."_

_"I do. A lot."_

_"Remember, only three."_

_"Wait, last time I asked more."_

_"Last time you saw Badb. I am Nemain."_

_"Oh. Right, you are a triple goddess. That was your sister._ _So, my pregnancy. Did you heal my womb?"_

_"That was Macha who did that. She is a goddess of fertility and sovereignty."_

_"Heh, plenty of those in Ireland."_

_Nemain chuckled. "Yes."_

_"Next question. Why did I turn into Adair?"_

_"You are the reincarnation of Adair, daughter of The Morrigan and The Dagda."_

_Lilly stopped. That was an unexpected answer. Nemain stopped with her. "I know that is a lot to take in, but please walk. I have something to show you."_

_Lilly continued walking and they went up a hill. "Okay. Last question. How come I haven't seen-"_

_"Save your question for a moment, my child." Lilly peeked over the hill and gasped. There was a handsome, muscular blonde man with a giant club over his shoulder. The wolf transformed into the red lady. It was The Morrigan again. "This is Adair's father, The Dagda. You were about to ask his whereabouts."_

_"Yes. I was...worried about his existence, I sup-"_

_"Ah, my daughter!" The Dagda came running and hugged Lilly. "I have been waiting for you. Come come, I have-"_

_"Husband, this is Lilly. Adair is not here right now," The Morrigan explained to The Dagda._

_"Oh. But she looks just like her," Dagda responded._

_"I know. Why don't you run along now?"_

_The Dagda nodded and went running through the grass. Lilly raised a brow and looked at Morrigan. "Somethin' seems off about him."_

_"Yes. Ever since Adair's death, he's been...afflicted in the mind. As his wife, I've had to take over all his responsibilities and trust me, that is not an easy task."_

_"Why did my Uncle Levi try to kill me?" Lilly asked._

_"To purge you. The Freemasons believe Adair was the one who caused the famines of Ireland."_

_"They believed...but you make it sound like she didn't do it."_

_Morrigan stared at Lilly with a sad look in her eyes. "I will explain that another time. It is painful to speak on."_

_Lilly inclined her head. "I know how you feel...talking about traumatic events is something I am all too familiar with."_

_The Morrigan hugged Lilly. "For now, focus on the present, not the past."_

_"Thank you, Morrigan." Lilly kissed her cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without our little meetings."_

_Morrigan laughed. "Meetings, hmm? Well, as long as you find humor in it, I am happy."_

_"I do. Humor helps me stay positive."_

_"Good. You'll need it when you have the twins."_

_"The twins?" Lilly gasped._

Lilly woke from her nap in the hotel bed and sat straight up. She immediately got out of bed and went rummaging in her bag for her journal. She got it out, along with a carrot, and chomped as she wrote down her dream. Oh, twins! She was having twins! Lilly looked over at Arthur's side of the bed but found he wasn't there. Brian and James were gone too. Damn. Lilly finished up her journal entry and got dressed. She had a feeling she knew where Arthur was. She ran out of the hotel room and down the stairs. It was getting dark. Lilly mounted on Liath when she ran outside and went barreling down the street to the north. She knew that particular area of swamp in her vision. It was on the shores of Lagras. Lilly galloped quickly out of Saint Denis and headed north, then eventually she took a turn to the west. It didn't take long to spot her wolves waiting on the swamp banks, waiting for Arthur and Albert who were in a little skiff. Oh boy.

"Hello, my brothers," Lilly said as she closed in on Brian, James and Rose. They ran to her and she smiled as she dismounted to greet them. "Havin' fun watchin' them boys row about?"

She pat the boys then waved over to the men who were already on their way back. Lilly noticed the camera on the boat and laughed. Mr. Mason was shouting something at her and the boys started growling. Lilly turned and saw a huge albino alligator running right for her.

"Mrs. Morgan, run!" Albert yelled.

Lilly turned and began running to a tree. "Boys! Get outta here! Even that fucker is too big for us!" The boys refused and stood their ground in front of the alligator who was at least twice their size. It stopped and let out a low, prehistoric growl. Lilly got up in a tree and watched as her boys protected her. "Brian! James! No!"

They ignored her and Lilly spotted Arthur rowing as fast as he could. Lilly pulled out her revolvers and started shooting. Brian went around and tried to bite one of the creature's feet but missed as it banked around and snapped at the wolf's head. Brian jumped back and James went for the neck. He clamped his sharp fangs on and the beast growled loudly as it rolled and smacked James off. Lilly shot a few bullets at the white monster but it only managed to piss it off. Lilly watched in horror as it chomped on Brian's shoulder and put him in a death roll. She jumped out of the tree, ran to Liath and yanked out her shotgun before running across the way. Lilly shot the creature in the side and he let go of Brian. Brian limped off as James went for the tail. It turned around faster than Lilly thought possible and grabbed James in his jaws. Lilly shot the back of the beast and it turned once more, running to her again.

Lilly quickly reloaded and shot again but the monster kept coming. She backed up and kept shooting but the alligator closed in quickly and went for her legs. Lilly backed up into the tree and shot again. The creature hissed at her and charged. Lilly shot once more before another shot rang out into the air. The monster fell dead at her feet and Lilly looked to see smoke coming from Arthur's rifle. Lilly sighed in relief and they ran to each other. Arthur grabbed her and held her close to his chest. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she sobbed. "Oh God, the boys!" Arthur let go and they both ran to Brian and James. Brian was limping over but James was still on the ground not moving. Why weren't they healing? Lilly got to James side and knelt down. He was really hurt. "Oh, my brother..."

Brian came and licked his brother's face with a whine. "Lilly, we need to get James to a...oh, there we go..." Arthur started to say but paused.

The boys started healing and Lilly took a deep, shaky breath. James slowly got up and licked his sister's face. Lilly kissed both the boys and started to cry. Arthur hugged all three of them. "You're okay, Lilly. The boys are fine."

Lilly clung to Arthur. "I was scared they weren't gonna-"

"Are you alright, Mrs. Morgan?" Albert asked as he came over. "Are the wolves okay?"

Lilly laughed and nodded, wiping her tears away. The adrenaline was leaving her body to be replaced by euphoria. "Yes. We're all okay."

The boys went running off to play and Lilly laughed again. Arthur helped her up and kept his arms around her. "God, Lilly, that was close. How did you know where we was?"

"I got lucky," she said knowingly.

Arthur seemed to get what she meant. "Ah, okay."

"I don't know how your wolves aren't injured, Mrs. Morgan," Mr. Mason said with a confused look. "Is that not their blood?"

"No, they got tough hides themselves. I think they hurt the alligator more than I thought. Tough bastards," Arthur said. "Toughest wolves I've ever seen in my life."

"Quite. I'm sorry I wasn't more help, but I am a

bumbling, talentless fool in awe of God's creatures."

Arthur sighed and looked at Mason as they all walked to the boat. "You sure do make me laugh that way you talk about yourself, Mr. Mason."

"Well, I am good for laughing at, if nothing else."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. Still, I feel such a fool around you both," Mr. Mason said as he climbed into the skiff.

"Don't worry about it," Arthur said, pushing the boat into the water.

"I forsaw a many ignominious future for myself, but...never damsel in distress!" Mr. Mason shouted as he rowed.

Arthur laughed. "Well, uh, good luck, Mr. Mason."

"Thank you, and to you too, all of you. Hopefully there aren't too many other alligators like that."

"Try and stay out of trouble!"

"I shall certainly try."

The man rowed away and Lilly waved him goodbye. "You, on the other hand, can't seem to stay out of trouble," Arthur sighed. "You had another vision of me gettin' killed and you just had to come runnin'?"

Lilly laughed. "No, I just knew where you were. I did have another vision, though, and wanted to tell you straight away." Lilly grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly. "We're gonna have twins."

Arthur gaped at her and his light blue eyes twinkled from awe. "What?"

"Yes. A boy and a girl. Now we both get to have the names we wanted."

Arthur laughed and picked her up with a spin. "Jesus Christ Almighty. Twins. I never would'a guessed."

Lilly giggled and kissed as he held her up. "Arthur Jr. and...what was it we decides, Aoífe or Cahira?"

"I think you really wanted Aoífe."

"I do."

"Then Aoífe it is!"

Lilly laughed. "Oh my...I'm gonna get really, really fat before this is all over. No wonder I've been so hungry! I'm eatin' for three!"

Arthur laughed and spun her around again. "You've made me the happiest man alive twice today, Lilly."

She grinned then looked at the dead alligator. "Well, we might as well skin the bastard and bring him to that trapper back in the city."

* * *

After skinning the giant albino, Arthur placed the pelt on Rose and they wandered back into the city with the wolves. People were usually in awe and shock of the animals Lilly had obtained, but now people were pointing and gasping in horror. Arthur looked at the boys and cackled. "We should'a given 'em a bath first."

Lilly laughed. "Yes, we should've. I should take 'em back out to go swimmin'."

"Alright, just no more alligators, please. Just meet me back at camp."

Lilly laughed and turned Liath around. "C'mon boys, let's go swimmin'."

* * *

"Mrs. Morgan!" Susan shouted as Lilly got back to camp with the boys. "We got a problem. A real problem. It's Tilly!"

"What? She play a prank on you? I didn't think she had it in her," Lilly giggled.

Grimshaw dragged Lilly over to one of the wagons with guns in it and grabbed a revolver. "She's been taken. By them Foreman brothers she used to run with. Come along!"

Lilly whistled for her brothers as she chased Susan. "The Foreman brothers? Well, shite. Let's go get Miss Tilly!" Lilly, Miss Grimshaw, and the wolves headed over to a wagon. "You know where these fuckers are at?"

Both the women climbed on. "I'll tell you on the way. Just drive." Brian and James jumped into the back and Lilly flicked the reins to get the horses to run. "Alright, head for Rhodes! And quick!"

Lilly gaped at her. "Ya want me tah go tah Rhodes?" Lilly snapped. "After all that shite that happened?" Not that Susan knew all the details, but she knew enough.

"It's just west of Rhodes, Lilly. It's called Radley's House!"

Lilly sighed in frustration. "As ucht Dé. Fine. But...I think Arthur mentioned somethin' about one of them boys harassin' Tilly in Valentine. The feck they want with her?"

"Yes! They probably followed us down here! You don't know what happened?"

Lilly smiled. "I'm sorry, but no. Mr. Morgan has, uh, been takin' up a lot of my time as of late."

"Yes, he has. We've all heard what you two do with your time."

"Ha! Then I guess it's a good thing our tent is far away from the rest of ya. So, what's with this Tilly issue?"

"She killed one of 'em. For good reason, but clearly they don't see it that way!"

Lilly squinted an eye. "Tilly killed a man? Ha, good for her!"

"Yes. She was defendin' herself. She fled and fell in with us right after that."

"Oh yes, I remember now," Lilly said with a laugh. "She's been with us for a while now."

"I iust hope we can get to her in time! If they touched a single hair on that girl's head, I will eviscerate the sons of bitches!"

Lilly laughed. "Good golly. Tilly killed a man, you're gonna kill some, Sadie's killed men...shite. I need to talk to you ladies more often! But I'm glad to see you care about the girls."

"Of course I care! I care about all of you fools! Some just require a firmer hand, like your husband. Not that I need to do that anymore, you handle that man better than anyone!"

Lilly sighed. "Yes, but I think he handles me better than anyone else...when we ain't fightin'. Then he just acts like a fuckin' jackass. And...I do too, now that I think about it."

"He'd rot in his own filth if it weren't for you. That just gives me one less hardass to deal with."

Lilly wheezed out a giggle. "Well he can't very well take up my time if he's rottin' in his own filth. I'd toss him in a lake and scrub him down first. Then I'd probably steal his clothes to teach him a lesson."

Susan and her laughed. "You already did that! Remember?"

"Ha! Oh yeah, after he'd sunk all of mine in that lake! Ha, I haven't played a prank on any of yas in a while."

"You've been busy. Oh, I think that's the place up ahead!"

Lilly slowed down for a moment. "I think I got an idea, if you don't mind a little performance from the boys and me."

"I don't care as long as those fuckers die."

Lilly laughed and increased the pace again. "And people say I'm scary..." she chuckled. "Boys. I need you to play dead back there, okay? And when the guard comes back there, you can eat him on my signal."

The boys laid down and stayed still. The cart pulled up to the house. There was a guard sitting on the steps. "Whatchu want?" he demanded.

Lilly jumped down from the wagon. "Weeeelp," she said in a very thick western accent. "We seem to be lost, sir. We was tryin' to get to Saint Denis. I got some rare pelts to sell."

The guard stood up. "What kinda rare pelts?"

Lilly smiled. "You ever heard about that Wolf Witch that was here a bit ago?"

"Yeah. What about her?"

Lilly patted the side of her wagon. "Weeeelp, I done gone and shot me some two giant white wolves. These fuckers are huge! I had to use the damn horses to get their heavy asses in here!" Lilly heard a low growl and she puckered in her lips.

The guard came walking. "Are you serious? Well let me see!"

Lilly leaned against the side of the cart. "Be my guest."

The guard ran to the back and his eyes looked like they were about to fall out. "Wow! They are huge!"

Lilly waved over to Miss Grimshaw, who got off the wagon and went storming towards the house. Lilly walked to the guard. "Yeah. Ain't they pretty? Wanna see the heads? Them heads is massive! And the teeth? Oof." Lilly shuddered. "I get the chills just thinkin' about 'em."

"Hell yeah! How did you even get them?"

Lilly pulled the wooden gate down and climbed up. "Well, first I shot their witch, then I set up a trap and...yeah. They wasn't all too smart without theys owner."

Lilly picked up Brian's head. Lilly dragged him over to face the guard. The boys' fur was really losing its puppish fluffiness. Brian had his tongue hanging out. Lilly thought that was a nice touch. "Wow," the guard said in awe.

"You wanna see the teeth? C'mere, I'll show ya." The guard hesitantly walked over. Lilly lifted Brian's lips, his fangs almost glistening in the sunlight. Lilly stood and jumped off to the side. "Yeah, I might make them teeth a nice necklace. Hey, ya know how I caught 'em? All I had to do was shout KILL!"

Brian lunged for the guard and bit his head. The man died instantly. The wolf shook the man's body around like a ragdoll. Lilly's jaw dropped. Brian's jaws completely covered the man's head. Her and Arthur were going to need a bigger bed. And a bigger tent. And a bigger rug. She put that on the "to-do list".

"Deartháir mór..." Lilly went back to her normal voice and shook her head with a grin. "I honestly don't know if I should be disgusted or amused by what the hell you just did." Brian dropped the body and sat up. James poked his head up and whined. "Well, go on. Get out and stretch your legs. Exercise, ya fat little shites!"

Both the boys growled at her playfully. Lilly heard a door bust open and some men riding off on horses. Lilly and her brothers ran to the back of the house. Tilly was holding a gun. "Lilly, get on this horse and let's go!" Miss Grimshaw shouted.

Lilly spotted a white and black speckled horse and jumped on. Miss Grimshaw got on behind her.

"Catch that bastard!" Tilly growled. "He's the one in the front."

"With pleasure, Miss Tilly!" Lilly smiled before heading over after the men. "Boys! You ready for some real fun?" The boys kept a good distance from the new horse so as not to spook it. They barked at Lilly. "Alright! Scare the fuck outta all of 'em, but don't kill the one in the front."

The boys increased speed and Lilly pulled out her gun. She was surprised at how fast Brian and James were going. Miss Grimshaw and Lilly started shooting at the man lagging behind in the back of the troupe. "Lilly, did those two understand you just now!?"

Lilly laughed and shot. James jumped up and knocked the slow man off his horse. Brian ran for the next one. "You thought me comin' back from the dead was a doozy of a tale? Ha! That might pale in comparison to what I'm about to tell you, Miss Grimshaw!"

James came up the rear as Brian knocked the next man down by a lake. "What now?! What the hell could be more strange than you gettin' resurrected?"

"Brian and James are the reincarnations of my dead brothers." They turned and headed along a trail in the forest.

"What?!"

Lilly and Susan holstered their guns and Lilly took out her lasso. "Boys! Be gentle with this one! Tilly ain't done with him yet!" Brian and James barked in acknowledgement and went racing down the path. They got around in front of the man and stood their ground, causing Foreman's horse to buck up. The man fell off the horse to the ground as Lilly trotted up to them. She tossed the boys some meat chunks. "Nicely done, mo dheartháireacha!" _[my brothers!]_

Lilly put a foot on Anthony Foreman's chest and swung the lasso a bit. "You gonna rope me like a damn steer?" he shouted.

"Well, it's either that, or...I let my brothers here drag you back. I don't really have a preference for either mode of transportation...or which body part they choose to drag you by. And, well, their teeth are rather sharp."

Anthony glanced over at Brian and James, who were showing off their pearly whites aggressively. The man held up his wrists. "Okay okay! I'm a steer!"

"I thought as much." Lilly stood him up and made him lay belly down on the speckled horse's rear. No point in putting in extra effort if it wasn't needed. She hogtied him, Grimshaw took the other horse, and Lilly saddled up. She patted the horse's neck. "You know, I...I kinda like this horse. I think I might keep him. He got a name?"

"You can't have him!" Anthony shouted

Lilly trotted back in the direction of Radley's house, Brian and James trailing behind. "Boys, if you're hungry, go huntin'. I got this covered. I'll see you back at camp."

Brian and James barked happily and went running off in the opposite direction. "How the hell did they understand that?"

"I don't rightly know, Mr. Foreman. Maybe this 'Wolf Witch' stuff I been accused of is true."

"You're the Wolf Witch?!"

Lilly chuckled. "You ain't very bright, are ya Mr. Foreman? I should think havin' two giant wolves help me chase you arseholes down woulda been a big feckin' clue. Speakin' of that, I'm takin' your horse. You made me chase you. Now what's his name?"

"...Spots."

As ucht Dé. "Seriously? Well, I guess it makes sense. I used to have a colt named Scoot. God, he was fast as hell."

"Why are you even talkin' to me?"

"I'm takin' my time a little bit. I like conversin' with folks. Think of it as a mercy that I'm delayin' your meetin' with Tilly."

"Why are you showin' mercy?"

"Because chasin' ya was fun."

"Oh for fuck's sake."

"Yes, I know. I'm a real shite. But, if I may ask, sir, why did you kidnap my friend Tilly?"

"She killed my cousin."

"Huh. I see. You wanted revenge." Lilly jerked her head to the side and made a 'tsk tsk tsk' sound. "See, that's a real shame."

"Why?"

"Revenge is a nasty business, sir. I should know. I've been wantin' revenge for the death of my brother for...15 years now. And I'll tell ya, I done bad things recently because it came back to haunt me."

"What came back?"

"The man who was involved with my brother's murder. Oh, don't get me wrong, I still intend to kill that fucker. But...it's not for revenge. It's for justice."

"I don't understand."

"A wise man once told me the difference between justice and revenge is that justice is unbiased; it restores balance to what was done wrong. Revenge? He said it brings out the worst in people. All based on negative feelings, like wantin' to harm people. And it eats at you until you get a giant hole inside. And even if you get your vengeance, you'll try to fill that hole with more violence because...that hole ain't gonna go away on its own. And it will always be hungry for more."

"Well, what did you do that was so bad?"

"I shot out an old lady's kneecaps, crushed her knees with my boots, poured alcohol all over her, cursed her with a lot of Irish curses, and tossed her into a burning house. I watched her burn alive."

"Jesus. Why?"

"She gave my nephew to the very man who gave the kill order of my brother. But...doin' that almost cost me my marriage. More specifically, keepin' the secret of the circumstances surroundin' the murder of my brother almost cost me my marriage. What I did...was not equal to her crime. But at the time, I didn't care. I just wanted that bitch to burn."

"Do you regret it?"

"Hmm. I honestly don't know. She was a particularly nasty woman. And...I think I wanted justice, too. Because that man...he's done a lot of harm to a lot of people. But he's virtually untouchable. Law won't arrest him. So, if they won't do nothin' about it, I have to do somethin' about it. Because no one else will."

Anthony sighed. "You know, what Tilly did. I...get why she did it. My cousin had it comin'. But...he was family. How could I not go after Tilly? I had to do somethin'."

"Oh, I understand that. But...you did go after her. And now you're hogtied on top of Spots here. Was it worth it, gettin' caught? Is it revenge you seek, or is it justice?"

"Revenge, for sure. But you may be right about it. It's not worth it. I...I shouldn't have done it."

"Ah, well, I don't blame you for tryin'. But you can still make it right. Apologize. Ask for mercy, if you feel like it. Tilly might let you live. She might not. Miss Grimshaw, on the other hand...well, she's very maternal. Like a momma bear. She will encourage Tilly to kill you, but...I think, if you really are sorry, and you leave her alone from now on...I will speak on your behalf."

"You will? Seriously?"

"Sure. You ain't so bad. Just dumb and angry."

Anthony laughed. "I am."

"This is why I like conversin' with folks. Especially troubled ones."

"You are a very wise lady. It's too bad people think you're a witch."

"Nah, it ain't that bad...except for the occasional witch hunts and tryin' to burn me alive at the stake." Lilly smirked to herself.

"Do you do this often? The conversin'?"

"I haven't lately. I need to do it more."

"Why?"

"...Atonement. For all the wrong I done in the name of vengeance." Lilly saw the house in view. "Well, we are here, Mr. Foreman. And as promised, I will put in a good word for you."

"...Thank you."

Lilly patted the man behind her. When Lilly approached, Miss Grimshaw was furious. "What took you so god damn long, Lilly?"

Lilly helped Mr. Foreman down. "Now, Miss Grimshaw, before you go all out on this poor son of a bitch, I believe he has somethin' to say to Tilly. Somethin' important. Please refrain from interruptin' until he is done. We...had a nice chat. I said I'd put in a good word. So, Mr. Foreman? Care to say somethin' to Miss Tilly?"

Anthony looked at Tilly and frowned. "I am very sorry for kidnappin' you. And beatin' you. And pursuin' you. I know you killed my cousin, but...you were defendin' yourself. I...shouldn't hold that against you. And, uh...ma'am, I never got your name."

"Mrs. Morgan, or Lilly."

"Yes, Mrs. Morgan. She uh...heh, helped me see what I did was wrong. So, I am sorry for all the pain I caused you. And your...momma bear."

Lilly snickered. Miss Grimshaw scoffed. "Damn right you did."

"Susan...please," Lilly urged.

Miss Grimshaw crossed her arms. "Fine."

"Tilly," Anthony continued. "I...shouldn't ask for forgiveness. But I am. And...if you want to kill me, I won't protest. I...would like to atone. And if my death achieves that, fine. But...make sure you're doin' it for justice, not revenge. Revenge is what got me in this mess in the first place. It's a...nasty business. So, I am sorry. Please show mercy."

Lilly stared at the man on the ground. She honestly did not think her words would not have much effect on the man. But it did. Lilly looked at the two women. They looked just as shocked as Lilly felt.

Tilly sighed. "Alright, Anthony Foreman. I accept your apology. I...don't know about forgiveness, but I will let you live. As long as you and the rest of your boys leave me alone."

"I will, Tilly. I will tell them, I promise," Anthony said.

Lilly gave a soft smile. She cut Anthony's ropes and she helped him up. "That was good. Now...go take Spots there and go keep your promise."

"I thought you was gonna keep Spots?"

"I changed my mind. Now get out of here before I change it again."

Anthony smiled at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. I won't forget what you said." Lilly tipped her hat to him.

He walked to Spots, got on, and galloped away. Lilly felt...awed. Astonished. She'd just changed a man's negative perspective on a quest for vengeance to the exact opposite. And she felt good. Lilly did a good thing, she knew this. "Well, let's go home."


	45. The Party

A day later, Lilly went hunting with her brothers and brought back pelts and meat from boars, deer, rabbits, and even a whole panther carcass she had managed to track and kill. Apparently, killing all these wild and dangerous animals made her more of a confident expert in the area. Much to Arthur's chagrin, though. He'd been a little disappointed, but not so much to start an argument. Instead, he just smiled in defeat and helped her unload all the remains of her prey to bring over to Pearson.

"I just wish you would've asked me to come with, that's all," Arthur complained.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright, Mr. Morgan."

Arthur handed the last of the pelts to Mr. Pearson and pulled Lilly into a warm embrace. "Don't you patronize me, woman," he said with a laugh.

"I ain't patronizin', I'm merely gettin' bored with your mouth," Lilly said, smirking at her husband with a playful look in eyes.

"Oh, you're gettin' bored with my mouth?" He flashed his teeth at her. "Well," he leaned in close and bit her neck and she yelped. "How's that for borin'?"

"Mr. Morgan!" Lilly gasped. "You fuckin' bithiúnach!"

Arthur laughed. "I love it when you call me that."

Lilly hummed and started strolling quickly to their tent. "Let's go inside and I'll call you a hell of a lot more than that!"

Arthur chased after her but Lilly started running. "Hey! Don't run away from me!"

Lilly giggled and turned to run backwards. "Yer gonna hafta work for me, Arthur! Like I said, yer mouth is so borin'!"

Arthur's jaw dropped and he went faster. Lilly yelped and turned, running straight into Sean. "Hey! Lilly!" Sean giggled. "Be careful!"

"Oops, sorry," she said, covering her mouth. "Are you-ack!"

Arthur lifted Lilly up and walked in the direction of their tent. "Hey, where are you two goin'?" Sean asked with a laugh.

"I'm about to go fuck my wife!" Arthur shouted.

"Arthur!" Lilly scolded with a laugh. "You can't just-ooh!"

Arthur kissed her deeply and Lilly wrapped her legs around his waist. "Yes I can, Lillian Rose! You made me chase after you!"

Lilly giggled and moaned into his mouth. "Oh, I love you, Arthur."

"Mmm, I love you too," Arthur growled before kissing her again. "And I'm goin' to show you how much I love you right now."

Lilly and Arthur laughed and kissed again as Arthur walked into the tent. He tossed Lilly on the bed and climbed on top of her, kissing her once more and holding her in his arms. He bit her neck hard and Lilly nibbled on her lower lip. "Mmm, Arthur, you bithiúnach..." she moaned.

Arthur took off his shirt amd tossed it. "Yes I am." Suddenly Lilly heard giggling outside their tent. It was distinctively Sean. That little pervert. Lilly started laughing. "What's so funny?" Arthur asked her.

"I think Sean is listenin'," she whispered. She heard another giggle. "And Javier."

"Those fuckin'-"

Arthur went to get up but Lilly yanked him back down. "No no, let's have fun with it," she whispered again.

"You serious?" Arthur laughed.

"Yes. It'll be the closest thing they get to hearin' a woman scream without payin' for it."

Arthur laughed again. "Oh, you naughty little minx."

Lilly nodded. "Go on and strut your peacock feathers," she breathed with a wink.

Arthur chortled lightly into her neck. "I ain't sure-"

"Oh, you scared, Mr. Morgan?"

Arthur glared at her. "No."

"I think she's callin' him out on somethin'," Lilly heard Micah whisper.

"Micah's outside now. Now we can really rub it in his face," Lilly said softly. "We should talk dirty, too. It'll be fun."

That obviously convinced her husband because Arthur suddenly ripped her shirt open to expose her breasts. "Oh, if we're doin' that, you won't be able to keep up with the dirty talk."

He clasped his mouth on a nipple and Lilly moaned loudly. "Oh, try me..." she dared him.

Arthur laughed almost evily and sighed. "Okay. You asked for it." He roughly undid her pants and belt, then yanked them down. "On your knees," Arthur demanded.

Uh oh. Lilly wondered if she had unleashed his dominant side again. "Mmm, you're gonna have to make me, Mo Fear Álainn."

Arthur scowled as he rolled her over and lifted her hips up. She pushed up on her hands but he pushed her chest back down. "Stay down, Mrs. Morgan. You're goin' to need the cushionin'."

Lilly's jaw dropped and she laughed. "Oh my," she teased. "How hard are you plannin' on fuckin' my pussy cat?"

Lilly heard a wheezed laugh come from Arthur. "Actions speak louder than words."

Lilly felt his cock ram into her and, being true to his word, it made Lilly cry out. "Oh my God!"

Soft laughter emanated fron outside their tent as Arthur continued to plow into Lilly with his hands on her waist. Arthur chuckled maniacally. "God ain't gonna help you now, my prey."

Shit. Now Lilly knew she was in trouble, but she couldn't even protest because of how forceful his strokes were. "Oh, oh, fuuuuck, Arthur," she whimpered.

"Oh boy, I think he's really goin' at it," Lilly heard Sean say.

Lilly chuckled and grabbed a pillow to scream in but Arthur reached over and tossed it. "Nope. You _ain't_ mufflin' your voice this time, woman!"

Lilly grunted and groaned as Arthur pressed a hand into her back. He went faster and it made Lilly almost cry out loudly. "Oh mo chuisle! I...I-I...you feel so good!"

"Just good?" He asked. He smacked her bottom and she squealed. "Louder, woman. I can't hear you." He slapped her butt again and Lilly screeched. "God, Lillian, your ass is so...mmm, I could just bite it!"

"Holy shit," Micah said outside. "Are you boys hearin' this?"

"Yes, you idiot," Bill said.

Lilly covered her mouth to stifle her laughing. "Bill is outside now too," Lilly giggled quietly.

Arthur pounded harder and faster. "That's it!" He yanked her up by her braided hair and pressed his mouth to her ear. "The next thing outta your god damn mouth better be good, Lillian, or I will stop."

"No no no, don't stop," she pleaded. "It feels good, I swear!"

"Are you sure?" He stopped pushing into her. "Níl mé sách garbh duitse?" _[I'm not rough enough for you?]_

"You are! You are! Don't stop!"

"Agair, Lillian. Agair." _[Beg, Lillian. Beg.]_ Lilly squirmed and pouted. Arthur placed a hand on her clit and rubbed, which made her arch back and moan. "Táim ag fanacht," _[I'm waiting]_ Arthur cooed. "Beg for it."

"Ha, I don't think she's gonna beg," Lilly heard Charles say outside. "She's too proud."

"I don't think he can make her beg, either," Micah chuckled.

Lilly bit her lip. Being talked to in Irish was her weakness. Arthur continued to rub her clit. "Beg me to keep fuckin' you and I will make sure you can't sit for a whole god damn week, mo bean chéile."

Some guffaws came from outside and Lilly's resolve melted away. "I-Impím ort, mo fear álainn," _[_ _I ask you, my beautiful man]_ she said, turning her head and kissing his cheek. "Please don't stop."

Arthur bit the side of her neck. "That's my girl."

"Ha, he got her to beg," Sean said.

Arthur gave a harsh thrust and Lilly screamed out. He gave another thrust and Lilly screamed out again. "How much do you want me, Lillian?" he asked.

"I want you so much, Arthur, you're killin' me...just fuck me, please!" Lilly pleaded.

Arthur went at a steady but fierce pace inside of her. "Mo bhean chéile. Mo grá. Mo chúis maireachtála. Tá tú chomh fliuch. An é sin domsa?" he said into her ear, massaging her more harshly. _[My wife. My love. My reason for living. You are so wet. Is that for me?]_

"Yes, I am wet for you!" she moaned.

"In Irish, woman."

"Sea! Tá mé fliuch duitse!" _[Yes! I'm wet for you!]_

Sean giggled outside. "Oh my God, Arthur really knows what he's doin'..."

"What are they sayin'?" Lenny asked.

"He's basically demandin' her to talk dirty, and she's doin' that."

"I'll be god damned," Bill chuckled.

"Shut up!" hissed Javier. "They're gonna hear us."

Lilly moaned out loudly each time Arthur thrust into her. He continued his vicious assault on her nub with his fingers while pinching her nipple with his other fingers. This felt like pure ecstasy and Lilly was loving every moment of his dominance. Soon Lilly felt herself close to orgasm and she moaned even louder than she was before.

"Fuuuuuuck, god dammit, I'm so close..." Arthur stopped everything and Lilly whined. "Why'd you stop?"

"Just hold on," Arthur said into her neck. "I'm delayin' it, mo bean álainn." _[my beautiful woman.]_

"But why?"

"Just trust me," he said with a few slow thrusts. "It'll feel real good."

"Ugh, no it won't," she whimpered.

Arthur chortled. "Yes it will. I would do anything to enhance your pleasure, mo grá. And we are just gettin' started." Arthur started pumping into her again, but slowly. "Now, tell me when you're...oh, nevermind," he said and stopped once more.

"Oh good grief. How can you even tell I'm gettin' close?"

Arthur kissed her earlobe. "Because your insides twitch when you get close, and then you clench around my cock, and you clench so fuckin' hard, Lillian. Out of every woman I've ever had...you, my wife," he thrust hard into her and she gasped, "have the tightest, hottest, tastiest little honey pot and I am the luckiest man alive to fuck you every single day."

Lilly's heart fluttered and she grinned when he began to pump in and out again. "Oh, such things you say..."

"Yes. And only I can make you feel this way, right?"

"Yes, only you, mo fear chéile. No one else can ever compare to you," she whimpered. "Oooooh, Arthur...yes, keep goin'. Keep talkin'."

"Jesus Christ," Lilly heard Bill say. "Who woulda thunk it?"

"What?" Micah asked.

"That Arthur was such a smooth talker."

Arthur grazed her ear with his mouth. "Mo ghrá amháin. Mo bhean chéile le croílár na tine. Ní stadfaidh mé riamh grámhar duit. An bhfuil grá agat dom?" _[My only love. My wife with the essence of fire. I will never stop loving you. Do you love me?]_

"Sea! Beidh grá agam duit go deo!" _[_ _Yes! I will love you forever!]_ Lilly felt her orgasm peak once more and this time Arthur went so hard and fast that when she did come, her wetness spilled all over him and the bed. She cried out loudly with her shout. "OH MY GOD, ARTHUR!" The intensity of her climax made her whole body twitch, including her legs. "You animal!"

More guffaws came from outside the tent but Lilly heard footsteps approaching quickly. "Just what in the hell are you boys doin'?" Lilly heard Karen yell.

"N-Nothin'," Sean stuttered.

"Sean! Shame on you!"

Arthur tossed her ragdoll of a body on the bed and pulled up his pants. He covered her up while Karen argued with the boys and chuckled. "Keep lookin' tired, Lilly," he whispered before leaving her side.

"I am tired, but where are you goin'?"

"Just struttin' my peacock feathers," Arthur said as he ambled with confidence to the entrance. He opened the flaps and Lilly saw Sean, Micah, Javier, Bill, Charles, Lenny, and Karen staring at Arthur. Arthur looked back at his now exhausted wife with a giant smile, then at the gawking spectators. "And that, gentlemen, is how you please a woman." He shut the flaps. He strolled back to the bed and laughing echoed outside their tent. "Now, where were we, Mrs. Morgan?"

* * *

Lilly and Arthur went to the doctor in Saint Denis during her fourteenth week of pregnancy. Sure enough, based on the size of Lilly's belly, the doctor confirmed they were having twins and that all three humans were nice and healthy. Lilly's breasts felt less tender but much to Arthur's delight, they were getting bigger. The fatigue, dizziness and nausea were finally over for good. Lilly still had cravings for carrots and chocolate, but pickles and salted beef were still her go-to pregnancy foods. Lilly and Arthur, after the appointment, stopped at the general store and Arthur bought her more pickles and salted beef, which she happily chewed on the way home. When they got back to camp, Lilly and Arthur decided to make an announcement about having twins since they couldn't tell anyone before.

"Ah, Arthur, Lilly," Sean said as he closed in on the couple. "How did the appointment go?"

Lilly munched on some salted beef. "Good. In fact, we got even better news."

"What could be better news than havin' a baby?" Sean laughed. Lilly and Arthur looked at each other with smiles then back at Sean.

"Two babies," Lilly replied.

Sean's mouth dropped. "You're havin' two?!"

Lilly nodded excitedly. "Uh huh!"

"Haha! Hey Dutch! Hosea! Everybody! Get over here!" Sean went walking around to collect everyone. "Gather 'round, folks. Lilly and Arthur's got good news."

When everyone was crowded around the couple, they both smiled. "Well, we do have good news. Dutch, Hosea, you're gonna be grandfathers, you know that," Arthur said.

Dutch laughed. "Of course."

"But what you don't know is that you are goin' to be grandfathers twice."

Hosea blinked. "What?"

Lilly giggled. "We're havin' twins!"

"Oh my God!" Dutch shouted and hugged both Arthur and Lilly. Everyone cheered and gathered closer to examine Lilly's baby bump.

"No offense, but I did think you were showin' a bit much real quick," Abigail said.

"I thought that too!" Lilly said with a laugh.

"Hey! Let's celebrate!" Hosea and Dutch shouted. "For the happy couple and their twins!"

And of course, a lot of music, dancing and drinking ensued after the announcement. And it continued well after the sun set. As the music played, Lilly felt real movement in her belly and touched it. Sure enough, her palm was grazed by a small boink and Lilly laughed. It was a kick, or a punch, or a roll or something. She looked around for Arthur and power walked to him while still holding her belly. "Arthur! C'mere!"

He was talking with some of the boys with a beer in his hand when he saw her walking over. "What's goin' on?"

Lilly grabbed his hand and put it to her stomach. "They moved!"

Arthur turned all his attention to his wife's belly. Lilly felt another boink and Arthur laughed. "I felt it. Barely, but it was there."

"I wanna feel!" Jack came running and put his ear to her stomach. "Oooh, are your babies hungry? Your tummy is grumbling."

Lilly laughed. "Probably." Lilly reached into her satchel and grabbed a carrot, chomping down on it. "Mmm, good."

"Yuck! Carrots are gross!"

Lilly smiled and grabbed a candy bar next, grasping it tightly to melt it. "Not when combined with chocolate."

Jack scrunched up his face. "What?"

Lilly opened the bar which was now slightly melted, dipped the carrot, and handed it to Jack. "Try it."

Jack took a bite and a gleam in his eyes appeared. "Oh wow! Delicious!"

Lilly giggled and gave him the rest of the candy bar. "There you go. On me, kid."

Jack ran off to his mother and father to tell them all about the wonderful treat and Lilly grabbed salted beef from her bag with a smile. She chewed happily and walked over to an oak tree as she watched everyone continue with the celebration. When she touched the tree, though, images burst through her head.

 _Horses running. Rain falling. Kieran coming in on a horse, his head decapitated and his eyes missing. A ship sinking in a storm. Arthur falling off his horse. Hosea being shot in Saint Denis. Lenny being shot on a rooftop. Angelo Bronte._ _Grass, trees, and flowers dying._

Lilly gasped and stepped back from the tree. "What the fuck?" She touched it again with both her hands.

_Lilly is on the banks of Tír na nÓg again and sees her parents and little sister playing in the river._ _"Soon, my child, you will speak with them."_

_Lilly looks to the old washer woman. "Badb. Pleasure to see you again."_

_"Ah, so you know my name now," she says, washing clothes. "And you figured out a new source for our meetings. Clever girl."_

_Lilly notices it's Kieran's clothes that the woman washes._ _"Is Kieran next?"_

_"Yes."_

_Lilly kneels down and begins to wash clothes from the basket. "And my Athair?"_

_"Yes. And Lenny, I am afraid."_

_"Can I save them?" Lilly asks._

_"Of course. But be wary, my child. Just because you can save them doesn't mean they will be saved."_

_Lilly blinks. "I don't understand."_

_"You will soon, my dear. I am afraid you will very soon," Babd sighs. "Now, as for your husband, his death is unclear."_

_Lilly blinks again as she washes Hosea's clothes. "My husband? Is he still marked for death?"_

_"Yes, but as I said, it is unclear. My visions of late have been failing me."_

_"...How is that possible?"_

_Badb sighs again. "I'm an old woman."_

_"You're a goddess, though."_

_"Even gods and goddesses can fade, my child. I've lived for thousands of years and I feel my time is near."_

_"Is that what's happenin' to The Dagda? Is he fadin'?"_

_"No. He has lost his mind, I'm afraid. Losin' a child will do that to some. Adair was always his favorite child."_

_Lilly frowns. "Can he be cured?"_

_"I haven't the slightest clue."_

_Lilly pats Babd on the back._ _"You seem in low spirits today, my friend."_

_"Yes. I am. I do not look forward to the misery you are going to face soon."_

_"What misery?" Lilly asks with a frown._

_"You will see. Now, your husband is coming. Tell him all you know. It is hard to carry the burden on your own. Relying on him will be your strength."_

Lilly was pulled away from the tree by Arthur. "Lilly, what the hell was that?"

Lilly blinked and looked at Arthur. "I...what?"

"Your hands were _inside_ the tree, Lilly! How did you do that?"

"I don't know! I just touched it and...I had visions again." Lilly pulled put her journal and began to write. "Kieran is next. Then...oh..." Lilly started to sob. "Athair and Lenny, too. And...oh! Oh! I need to...oh, so much information!"

Arthur groaned while rubbing his face with both hands. "Jesus!"

"Ugh, I can't see in this light." Lilly shut the book and went walking. "I'm goin' to the tent."

Arthur followed her. "Lillian. What are we gonna do?"

"Well, I found a new source for my visions. Maybe...hmm...I'll go back in when-" Lilly looked around, finding no one. "Did everyone go to bed?" She looked up, seeing that it was early morning. "How long was I attached to the tree? I swear it was only a few minutes." It had been the middle of the night when she first interacted with the oak tree.

"You were there for at least two hours, Lilly. Do you feel okay?" he asked, holding her shoulders. "You look pale."

Now that Arthur mentioned it, she did feel tired. "Hmm, I thought the tired shit was over." Lilly huffed.

Lilly walked in the tent with Lilly, finding the boys on the bed. "Boys, off," Arthur said. Brian and James jumped off and snuggled together on their bear rugs.

Lilly lit a lantern and began to scribble down words in her journal. "Do you think we should tell someone about this? Maybe if we-"

"Lilly..."

She looked at her husband. "What?"

He sighed and sat next to her on the bed. "I'm worried. You haven't shown me your entries lately and you won't tell me about that...Adair person."

Lilly frowned. "I'm sorry. I...there's just a lot goin' on, ya know? Seein' Papa again, the jobs we been goin' on lately, and all the things goin' on in my visions...but I...Arthur, please don't freak out when I tell you this."

"What is it?" Arthur asked.

"...I'm Adair, reincarnated. Just like my brothers."

Arthur gaped at her. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Well...shit," he chuckled. "That explains a lot about you, doesn't it?"

"I suppose." Lilly finished her entry and handed the book to him. "You can read now."

Arthur smiled and tucked his wife into bed. "You get some sleep while I read, mo stór."

Arthur went to the other side of the bed and Lilly rolled over to face him. "You gonna be up long?"

"No no. Got things to do tomorrow. Got that damn," Arthur got into bed after kicking his boots off, "garden party to go to. You sure you don't wanna go?"

Lilly frowned. "I'd rather not put myself in a position where I am unarmed around that old coot."

Arthur laughed. "Fair enough."

* * *

"Ah, the two expectant parents!" Hosea said as he walked up to Lilly and Arthur. "How are things?"

"Good," both Lilly and Arthur replied.

"Come on!" Dutch shouted suddenly. The three looked in Dutch's direction. "If we're gonna make it to this party, we sure as shit better clean up a little," Dutch saud as he walked over.

"So we're doin' this?" Arthur asked Dutch.

"Oh yeah," Hosea answered. "Old friend Dutch van der Linde has finally shown his true colors...social climbin'."

"Old Signor Bronte, that horrendous snake, has invited us to the ball, Cinderella, so my suggestion is we go get you a gown," Dutch said to Arthur humorously with a laugh.

"You son of a bitch," Arthur groaned.

"But uh, Lilly, are you goin' or stayin'?"

"Stayin'. I'm in no mood to upset myself by seein' that awful man," she said. "You boys have fun." Lilly kissed her husband on the cheek. "Make sure Arthur gets the best gown in all of Lemoyne," Lilly said as she laughed.

Arthur scowled as Dutch and Hosea laughed. "You are somethin' else," Arthur chuckled.

"Yes I am. Now go on." Arthur turned around and Lilly smacked his rump.

"Ow!" Arthur laughed when turned back around. "Frisky little shit!"

"God damn bithiúnach!" Lilly said playfully.

Arthur picked her up in his arms and kissed her deeply. "Lovin' wife of mine."

"Oooh, my darlin' fear álainn..." Arthur set her back down and gave her a quick peck. "Go have fun if you can, my love." Lilly smirked as she watched her three men walk off. Brian and James came walking out of the woods to her side and Lilly smiled as she reached for her personal invitation to the party from the mayor. "Well boys, let's go get ready."

* * *

Lilly arrived at the party with her wolves in black bow ties. She wore a sapphire blue and black satin evening gown with black satin laces on her bosom and back. The gown was off the shoulder with small sleeves, nothing like the fluffy ones she'd seen other ladies wearing. She had triangular shaped silk lacing from her bosom down to her pregnant belly. The back of her dress adorned ruffles and ribbons in both black and sapphire blue. She wore a teardrop-shaped sapphire pendant on a silver chain and teardrop-shaped sapphire earrings encased in silver. Her arms were covered in white gloves going up to the middle of her arms. Her auburn hair was braided in small celtic and trinity knots but mostly her hair was down. Not the latest fashion for hair but she wanted an Irish touch with her ensemble. Her lips were a dark red shade and her cheeks had dark red rouge. Her eyelids had dark maroon colored rouge as well. She looked around for her men but did not see them. She saw Bronte, however, on the highest balcony with some men. Lilly ignored them and went to find the mayor.

"Ah, Mrs. Morgan. I am so happy you showed." The mayor, when she found him, kissed her hands. "And you brought your magnificent wolves. I've heard much about them."

Lilly smiled and gave the mayor a brief curtsy. "Yes, they have been quite the talk of the town."

"Haha, yes. Did you raise them yourself?"

"I suppose, but I've only had them for about three months or so now. They were a lot smaller then."

"My goodness. And their names?"

Lilly pointed to each individually as she introduced them. "Brian and James. Boys, say hello."

The wolves made soft howls and the mayor laughed. "That is a wonderful trick. Do they know any more?"

"Just the basics, but mostly the tricks they know are for huntin'."

"Ah, you hunt?"

"Yes. It's my favorite pastime."

"Ha! Lovely! Now come come, let me introduce you to my other guests."

Lilly walked along with the mayor and her pups, getting stared at by practically everyone in the crowd. Lilly smiled at them as some girls came and cooed and billed over the pups, who apparently enjoyed the attention. With a shake of her head, she kept up her spirits as she was introduced to more people. Many asked about her wolves and many asked about her and she happily obliged both with answers, especially one curious couple. A Mr. Hobart Crawley and his young wife Patricia.

"Ah, so you hunt, Mrs. Morgan?" Mr. Crawley asked Lilly. "Do you take your wolves on hunts?"

"Yes I do," Lilly replied. "All the time. Helps cut my huntin' time down by half with twice the reward."

"My, you must be a progressive woman, Mrs. Morgan," Patricia observed. "Not too many of you out there."

Lilly cocked her head to one side with a smile. "Yes, that is unfortunate, but I do hope the movement will increase with supporters soon enough."

"Really, Mrs. Morgan, what benefits can you see to making us equal to men?" Patricia asked.

Obviously his wife didn't have much going on in her head. "Well, men are linear thinkers, Mrs. Crawley, which I find to be quite useful for every day life with business or politics. However, with the way of poverty, homelessness, wars, illness, and the lack of understanding of fellow men, perhaps a woman's perspective would be useful as well."

Hobart chuckled. "You know, I never thought of it that way. You may be onto something there, Mrs. Morgan."

"Mrs. Morgan?" Henri, the mayor, said behind her. "There are some Indians here who would like an audience with you."

Lilly smiled and curtsied to the couple. "Excuse me, please." Lilly turned and walked with the mayor. "I suspect they want to ask about my wolves?"

"Actually, they seemed more interested in you."

Lilly blinked a few times. "I see. Huh." Well, this would be interesting.

Mrs. Morgan and Mr. Lemieux closed in on the two Native American men. "Mrs. Morgan, may I present Rains Fall, chief of the Wapiti Indians, and his son Eagle Flies. Sirs, this is Mrs. Lillian Morgan."

Lilly curtsied to the men. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." The younger man looked familiar to her.

The two men looked at her, then at each other, then back at Lilly. "It is nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Morgan," Rains Fall. "My son says he saw you once with your wolves."

Lilly tilted her head and squinted her eyes. She remembered being seen by three Indian men when they first got out of Colter, when their wagon wheel broke off. "Hmm. I thought you looked familiar, sir."

Eagle Flies nodded. "Why have you tamed these animals of nature, Mrs. Morgan? They belong in the wild, not at garden parties."

Rains Fall cleared his throat. "Please forgive my son. He is young and does not know his place."

Lilly smiled at them both. "Oh, I can understand your contempt, Mr..." she paused, unsure just how to address them. "I do apologize, and I do not wish to offend, but what should I call you both by?"

"Our full names are suitable," the young, irritable man said.

"I see. Well, Eagle Flies, I understand your contempt, and I understand your people value everything in nature, but I can assure you that these wolves are anything but tame." To prove her point, Brian and James made low growls at the men. They definitely noticed. Lilly rolled her eyes. "Boys, behave yourselves, please."

The wolves sat on their haunches to relax. Brian, however, kept his eyes on Eagle Flies as if daring him to question his sister again. "You control them, though."

"No. I merely remind them to be reasonable."

Eagle Flies scoffed. "Reasonable? They're wolves, not people."

Lilly wanted to say otherwise, but they wouldn't believe her. "I understand that, of course, but they have accepted me into their pack as one of their own, even though I am not an actual wolf. Although in some ways," Lilly took a step forward with a dangerous look in her eyes. "I can be a wolf if provoked, sir, and they most certainly understand that."

Eagle Flies gave her a nasty smile but as he was about to say something, Rains Fall put a hand on his son's shoulders. "Son, now I have questions for Mrs. Morgan."

Eagle Flies scowled and averted his gaze. "Yes, Father."

Rains Fall looked at Lilly and smiled warmly. "How did you become one with their pack?"

Lilly told the tale of her time in the cave with them, then the tale of the bear slaying, and that they'd been together ever since Eagle Flies first saw them together. Eagle Flies seemed skeptical of the bear fight but said nothing. Rains Fall asked her another question about the size of her wolves, to which Lilly explained they were Canadian Timberwolves but she had no idea why they were so abnormally large, however she didn't think they'd get much bigger. Now that she noticed, though, the top of their heads were well at her waist level now. James was just a wee bit shorter, however. Lilly saw Hosea and Bill and smiled with a curtsy.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen." And Lilly almost ran over to her Athair and Bill. "Hey fellers!"

Hosea turned around and gawked. "Lillian Rose, is that you? You look beautiful!"

Bill gawked too. He was speechless. Lilly chuckled. "Thank you. I know I look different, but-"

"We thought you wasn't comin'," Bill said. "You look pretty."

Lilly blushed. "Well thank you, Bill." Lilly kissed his cheek. "Well, the boys and I got invited by the mayor. We're uh, quite a popular subject, apparently. So, where's Da and Arthur at?"

Hosea pointed up toward the house. "Should be poppin' up there any moment."

Lilly turned and looked. "Oh. They're goin' to speak to Bronte. Why?"

"Dutch wants to play it cool with him and pretend to remain ignorant of your association with Bronte."

Lilly nodded. "Hmm, I suppose that is a good call."

* * *

Arthur walked up the stairs behind Dutch through the mayor's house. They were escorted to a balcony where Bronte and his men were laughing. Bronte turned and waved them over. "Ah, the angry cowboys, you've arrived! And you've washed!" Then the man said something in Italian.

Dutch shook the man's hand. "This is quite a party you've invited us to."

"Yes, quite something," he said before shaking Arthur's hand. "Although I'm not sure quite what."

"So, this is Saint Denis high society?" Dutch asked as he leaned over the balcony.

"Yes, apparently so."

"And all these people, th-these are friends of yours, Signor Bronte?" Arthur and Dutch were offered cigars.

"No no no no, not quite, but they certainly are afraid of me." Arthur looked down at the guests and saw Hosea and Bill walking about. "Like that one," Bronte pointed. "See that wretch? He's the mayor. Heh heh heh, Henri Lemieux." Arthur grabbed a man's arm to light his cigar. "He'll do anything for a dollar and I mean anything," Bronte continued.

"Politics is a foul business," Dutch observed.

"Yes, oh and that one too. That is Alberto Fussar. He owns a sugar plantation out on the island and he comes here to whore and despoil himself." Bronte almost giggled along with his men and Dutch.

Arthur looked out at the guests again and for a moment, he thought he saw a flash of white fur out of the corner of his eye, but when he looked it was gone. "No, they can't be here," Arthur said under his breath.

"Oh, oh, and that...that is Hobart Crawley," Bronte said while laughing. "A Confederate major in the war. A big hero they say, but that is his...his very young wife. I mean, a young mistress. That's the natural order of things, yes? But a young wife, it's unseemly. Oh, no offense to you, Mr. Morgan."

Arthur feigned a smile. "None taken, Mr. Bronte."

"Oh, oh, the redskins!" Bronte laughed and giggled. "I have no sympathy for them because whoever is stupid enough to be tricked by the Americans, they get what they deserve, huh?" Bronte laughed again. Arthur wasn't sure how much more shit talking he could take from this idiot. "Yes, hand a letter to the mayor. Oh yeah, that'll save you."

All the men laughed except Arthur. He took another puff of his cigar and looked over the crowd. He hated being up here with this "Papa" Bronte. Lilly wasn't here because of him and he'd been looking forward to seeing her in another dress. "So, anyone else we should be makin' fun of, Mr. Bronte?" Dutch asked.

Bronte laughed. "Yes, of course! That there," he pointed again. "That is Hector Fellowes. The self-righteous newspaperman. Maybe, maybe you will kill him for me one day?" Bronte asked Dutch.

"Well, we're not paid killers as such, not in cold blood, anyway," Dutch replied.

"I did not know you were so particular that uh, you wouldn't help a friend."

"Oh, I'm willin' to help in any way I can, uh, within reason."

"I'm going to pretend to understand what that means."

"I meant no offense, sir."

"None taken, none taken," Bronte laughed. "All these vulgar people. They hate me."

Arthur scowled. "I can see why," he uttered under his breath.

Bronte looked at Arthur. "Hmm, Mr. Morgan?"

"Mmm, yes?" Arthur replied, puffing on his cigar.

"Where is that beautiful, young wife of yours, hmm?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "My beautiful, young wife?" That son of a bitch. "Well, Lilly wasn't able to attend because she's not feelin' well. Bein' pregnant, especially with twins, will do that to a woman."

Bronte's mouth dropped. "Not one, but two bambinos? Ah, such is the miracle of life. I hope she isn't too uncomfortable at home, all by her lonesome," he laughed.

Arthur tried not to make an angry face. "Oh, she's got the wolves with her, but even so, she's more than capable of defendin' herself."

"Is she now? Is she a cold blooded killer herself, unlike yourselves?"

"No, my wife is as hot blooded as they come, actually."

"Arthur," Dutch said.

"No, Dutch, she is. She's got a real bad temper." Arthur looked at Bronte dead in the eye. "And Heaven help the man who ever crosses her."

Bronte smirked then chuckled. "Well, I'll be sure to avoid her temper."

"Arthur."

"What?" Arthur looked at Dutch as he puffed on his cigar.

Dutch pointed at the crowd with a smile. "Apparently she's feelin' better." Arthur looked over and saw Lilly. The cigar in his mouth dropped but Dutch caught it. "Be careful there. That was almost a perfectly good waste of a cigar."

When Arthur first saw Lilly in a dress, he didn't think she could get any more beautiful. Then the second time, he'd been proven wrong. And the third. And now, for the fourth time, as he watched her move through the crowd with Brian and James, his heart pounded in his chest, his breathing stopped, and his pants got really tight. His goddess of a wife spotted him and gave him a sultry smile and an innocent little wave before going about her little journey of introductions.

"Well, she certainly looks well. She has a mother's glow," Bronte commented.

Dutch laughed. "You know, I ain't never seen her in a dress before. She hates them. But now look at her, the belle of the ball."

Bronte looked at Dutch. "She hates wearing dresses? Why?"

Dutch sighed. "No idea. She's always been like that since we met her."

"Excuse me, fellers. I uh, ahem, need a private word with my wife." Arthur turned around and went walking through the house, down the stairs, and onto the lower balcony where Lilly and the wolves were waiting.

"Hello, my breathtakingly handsome lover," Lilly said to Arthur with a smile. "Do you like my dress?"

Arthur looked her up and down, grabbed a hold of her and kissed her. "God damn right I do, you beautiful woman. I thought you weren't comin'?"

"Oh, I only said that so I could surprise you. That and Brian, James and I got invited by the mayor. Us three are famous in Saint Denis now," she explained.

Arthur looked around and kissed her deeply. "I am definitely surprised, and I really wanna f-"

"Arthur!" Hosea said as he and Bill climbed up the steps. "Ah, I see you saw Lilly. Ain't she pretty?"

"She certainly is," Arthur commented.

"Gentlemen, Lilly, let's go ingratiate ourselves," Dutch said as he came strolling through the balcony doors.


	46. Fidus Et Audax

_7-year-old Lilly was sitting under the kitchen floor as Bronte's men searched the house. It was a bit cramped under the house with the floorboards so low to the ground, but not so much for a child. She was wearing red pants and a white chemise shirt with puppy faces sewn into the fabric. No shoes. Her hair was down and ended at the middle of her back. Lilly decided she hated dresses and swore to never wear one again. Or have ribbons in her hair. The men kept coming back. She'd only been there three days and this was their seventh time back._

_"Where is the god damn girl, Mrs. Bartleby?!" one of the men shouted._

_"I told you already, she is not here!" Gretchen shouted back. "I am scared to death for her! I wish I knew where she was! Lilly is such a..." Lilly heard Mrs. Bartleby start to cry. "She's such a lovely child! What if she's dead? What if an alligator got her?!_ _"_

_Lilly sighed quietly and held her legs to her chest. This woman sure knew how to lie._

_"Look Gretchen," another man said. "I know this is hard...on all of us. I'm worried sick about her too. But please, if you know anything..."_

_Lilly recognized the voice. It was George. He wasn't so bad. And he wasn't there that night. Lilly figured he had no knowledge of any of it._ _"George, I swear if I knew-"_

_"Mrs. Bartleby." Lilly heard Mr. Bronte enter the house. Lilly felt her heart stop for a moment. She covered her mouth to stifle her crying as she shook in fear._

_"Mr. Bronte!" Gretchen exclaimed. "I...I swear, sir. Lilly is not here."_

_"Oh, I'm sure. We've checked your house several times already. I'm only being thorough in my search."_

_"I understand, sir, but-"_

_"For example," Bronte said, waltzing over towards the kitchen. "A lot of these houses...they still have secrets, don't they?"_

_"Sir?"_

_"Secrets. People used to hide slaves under their houses, sometimes. During the war. To keep them hidden from the Confederates."_

_Lilly gasped quietly and she looked around for a way to escape. She couldn't find one. Lilly looked down. The dirt. She began to quickly, but silently, dig a hole. Her heart was pounding in her ears._

_"Really? I didn't know that. That's a fun fact, isn't it?"_

_Lilly heard a 'tap tap tap' over where the kitchen was. He was trying to find the trap door, she was sure of it. Lilly kept digging, her heart pounding harder inside her chest._

_"Oh, yes. A lot of these houses have a trap door in the floors. The living room," tap tap tap, "the dining room," tap tap tap, "even the kitchens," tap tap tap._

_Lilly silently got into the small hole, laying on her back. She started covering herself up. In her mind, she was praying he would not find her._

_"Huh. Well, Mr. Bartleby and I, we only moved in half a year ago. Haven't really noticed any trap doors. Don't even know what one looks like._ _"_

_Lilly heard the rug over the trap door come off. She kept going. "Please don't find me," she whispered to herself._

_"Ah, there it is. You never noticed this, Mrs. Bartleby?" Bronte asked._

_"Huh. Would ya look at that?" Mrs. Bartleby gasped. "No, can't say I have, Mr. Bronte. That rug was here when we moved in."_

_The trap door opened. Lilly laid perfectly still and stopped breathing. She dared not open her eyes to check if she was completely covered. Laying there felt like an eternity of waiting. How long was the door going to be open? How long was he going to search for her down here? Lilly found it hard to keep her breath in, scared as she was, as the seconds went by. The trap door shut._

_"Well, it looks cozy down there, but no runaway slaves or little flowers."_

_Lilly lifted her head out of the dirt and took a silent, deep breath. She wiped dirt off her face but dared not spit._

_"Well, I hope you're satisfied, Mr. Bronte. The girl is not here. She hasn't been here for quite some time."_

_"I will never be satisfied until she is FOUND, Mrs. Bartleby!" Bronte shouted._

_Lilly calmed her breathing and shut her eyes, begging in her mind for him to go away. "Please go away, please go away, please go away," she mouthed to herself. Tears streamed down the sides of her face._

_"Mr. Bronte!" Gretchen snapped. "Why are you shouting at me? I'm just as worried as you are!"_

_"You're right. I apologize, Mrs. Bartleby. I am merely stressed. She is my daughter."_

_Lilly felt like she was going to heave, but she repressed the feeling._

_"Yes, I understand, sir. I'm sure you will find her soon."_

_"Good day, Mrs. Bartleby. Men, let's go." Lilly heard multiple footsteps head towards the front door. She heard the door shut, then rapid steps went into the kitchen. The trap door opened._

_"Lilly! They're gone!" Lilly got out of the dirt and crawled toward Mrs. Bartleby. When the woman saw Lilly, she sighed. "How did he not see you?"_

_Lilly stood up. "I hid in the dirt."_

_Gretchen sighed again. "Clever child. So clever. But you're going to need a-"_

_The door opened. "Sorry, Mrs. Bartleby, but I forgot my..." It was George. Lilly stared at him wide eyed. "...hat." Gretchen held Lilly's hand. Lilly became terrified as tears ran down her face. George went back to the door and locked it, then went into the kitchen. "You need to remember to lock that door, Mrs. Bartleby. You're lucky it was just me that came back and not one of the other men. Or Bronte."_

_Lilly sighed in relief but continued to cry. "Please don't let him get me, George. Please._ _"_

_George patted her head. "I won't say a word, kid. Gretchen, I don't think he'll come back, but I'll try to keep them away from here as much as I can."_

_"Thank you, George," Mrs. Bartleby breathed out._

_George bent down at the waist and put his palms on h_ _is knees, looking at Lilly. "I'm so sorry for what he did to you and your brother, kid. And I hate working for him. But Sean and Brian trusted me to help you out. I hope you can trust me too."_

_Lilly shuddered. "I...I don't think I can trust anyone. Not after any of this."_

_George sighed. "I understand, Lilly. I'd feel the same as you in this situation. But you have my word that I won't rat you out."_

_George stood up and walked to the couch to grab his hat. Mrs. Bartleby followed him to the door, and when he left, she locked the door behind him._

_For the week following her brother's death, Lilly cried. She mourned. Her young, innocent mind tried to process everything, and it just wouldn't make sense. Why did Papa Bronte do all this? The men that almost harmed her were dead. She'd been forced to kill them. And why was Brian killed over a debt she didn't even know about? When Brian's body was found, he was buried in the cemetary of the Saint Denis church, but Lilly thought he wasn't given a proper funeral. She should have been there, but she was in hiding instead. Then, one night right after that whole week, Bronte's men came by again to search. Lilly once again hid herself in the dirt under the house when they opened the trap door. And while she waited for them to leave, she thought about her dead brother in the cold, dry earth of the cemetery. She thought about all the hardships, all the pain, all the loss she'd gone through her whole life. Brian had been her last family connection, her last pillar of strength._

_When Brian found out about the deaths, he'd been furious Lilly had been forced into it. He'd never known what she was being trained for and if he had known, Brian never would have allowed it. Not that he would have been able to do much about it. Lilly was Bronte's property, although he'd not once referred to her as such. No, he always called her "daughter" or his "little flower_ _". She was the only one out of all his students. She'd been special to him, to everyone, not just because of her talents, but because of her character. Brian always said her bite was worse than her bark. Oh, her sweet deartháir mór. Her whole family was gone and s_ _he was the last of the O'Callaghan bloodline. Faithful and bold; her family motto. Well, Lilly knew she was faithful. Lilly knew she was bold. Helpless, innocent victims were neither things in her way of thinking._

_And was she going to allow herself to be a victim anymore? No. Was she going to allow the death of her brother to be unavenged? No. Was she going to let the last O'Callaghan be broken? Beaten? No. Brian's actions were faithful and bold. So...she was going to be the same. The trap door shut and she emerged from the dirt. As the men left, she decided enough was enough. If Lilly was going to hide, it would no longer be out of fear, but to bide her time and prepare. She could not be innocent or helpless anymore, and she was never going to let anyone hurt her again. Mrs. Bartleby opened the trap door and she crawled her way to it. And when she reached it, she looked up at the lady. Lilly felt different. Lilly felt furious. She felt like...a storm. An angry, violent, deranged storm._

_"What's wrong, Lilly?" Gretchen asked._

_"I am tired of those men comin' here," Lilly responded._

_"I know." The old woman held a hand out to Lilly. Lilly took it and climbed out. "They'll stop comin' eventually, dear."_

_"No, they wilna stop comin'," Lilly said as she walked into the living room. She pulled out her brother's knife from her waistband and stared at it. "Not unless I make them stop."_

_"How are you going to make them stop? You're just a child."_

_"I'm done bein' a child," Lilly turned to face the woman. "Children dunna kill people."_

_Gretchen stared at the knife and her. "What are you saying, dear?"_

_Lilly put the knife away and strode to the front door. "I'm goin' tah kill them." She opened the door and walked out into the night._

_Barefoot, in black pants, a white buttoned shirt, and her hair in a ponytail, Lilly stormed down the alley with death on her mind. She knew exactly which men came that night. Marco and Alexander. And she knew which way they went. She turned a corner and saw Alex. He was pissing against the wall. She knew it was him from his long black hair and his favorite brown jacket with white decorations on the back. And he wasn't very tall. Only a foot and a half taller than she was. Lilly paced over to him slowly, silently, as he hummed a song to himself._

_"Hurry up with your pissin'!" Marco yelled down to the left._

_Lilly peeked out and saw Marco had his back to her. He was smoking a cigarette. Lilly looked at Alex with her knife at the ready. How was she to go about killing him? Just then he finished his business and turned around. Lilly sliced his throat open before he could yell to his associate. Blood spattered on her clothes and she backed up out of sight. Alex's body slumped forward to the ground._

_"Hey, are you done yet?" Marco shouted. "Alex?" Lilly heard Marco come running. He bent down to check on his companion. "What the-"_

_Lilly went and shoved the knife sideways into the man's neck, then pulled the blade out. More blood spattered on her clothes. Marco grasped his neck and looked at the angry Irish girl in surprise and pain. Lilly stabbed him in his eye and he collapsed. Lilly yanked the knife out, wiped the blood off the blade on her shirt, and sheathed it. She looked down at all the blood on the ground. She dipped her hands in it and started writing on the wall. It didn't take Lilly long to finish. When she was done, she took a step back to study her work._

_"Fidus Et Audax."_

_Lilly felt numb, and her face was relaxed and blank. She just killed two men but she was done with Angelo Bronte's bullshit. He'd trained her for two years to be a sneaky little assassin. Well, he was going to get exactly what he wanted. A trained killer. And after all his little men were killed, she would go after him next. Lilly turned and headed back to the Bartleby's. Gretchen was waiting for her at the door. When she saw the blood on Lilly, she held a hand to her mouth and sobbed. "Lilly, you got blood all over you!"_

_The reborn Irish child walked past Mrs. Bartleby. "It ain't my blood."_

_The next day,_ _Lilly was on a bed in the guest room in the Bartlebys house. She felt strange about murdering those men. The Irish girl couldn't explain it. She didn't feel sorry. Lilly...liked what she did. It felt satisfying. For the first time in her life, she was in control of her life, as any monster would be. Lilly pulled out her brother's knife. It almost had the same sentimental value as her father's pocketwatch. But now, she looked at it differently. It was a weapon. And she killed two men with it. Why was she not upset about that? Shouldn't she be?_ _Lilly heard a knock on the door and she shoved the knife under her pillow._ _"Come in."_

_Mr. Bartleby walked in, hobbling on his cane. He looked like he was preparing himself for a difficult conversation._

_"So, ahem..." he made his way over to the bed. "You gave Mrs. Bartleby quite a scare last night."_

_"I know," she said blankly. "I wasn't tryin' to."_

_"I know." The man sat down and groaned. Lilly heard some bones pop and crack. "Good Lord, I sound like...I don't know what I sound like. Anyway," he looked at Lilly. "My wife says you may have killed some men last night."_

_"I did."_

_"I see. Well, kid, she's worried about you."_

_"Are you?"_

_Oliver chuckled. "No."_

_Lilly scrunched her face at him. "Really? Why not?"_

_"Because I was in the war, Lilly. I've killed people. I've watched men die. One of my closest friends, he died from a bullet through the chest," the old man sighed. "Killing a man, watching someone die...that changes people."_

_"Well, I saw most of my family die and that didn't change me. At least I don't think it did."_

_"But you didn't see it up close, did you? From what you told me, you never saw their bodies. You saw your mother's, but she was a ways down. You'd think that wouldn't make much difference, but it does."_

_Lilly shrugged. "I guess that makes sense, but...that whole thing was still awful. A lot of people died on that ship. But we were so busy tryin' to get outta there, I guess I wasn't payin' much attention to anythin' else."_

_"I would suspect so, kid. But Brian's death? You saw him beaten and shot right in front of you, and you saw his body up close. That..." he sighed again. "Plenty of that happened in the war. And it changes you."_

_"Is that what's happenin' to me?"_

_"I believe so."_

_"I...it feels so strange. I don't even feel bad about killin' those men."_

_"Well, why did you kill 'em?"_

_"I'm sick and tired of havin' to hide from them all the time. I hate them botherin' you and Mrs. Bartleby. And...I just...went and did it. I'm tired of feelin' so...so..."_

_"Scared and helpless?" he asked._

_"Yes." Lilly tilted her head._

_Oliver patted her leg. "Do you still feel scared and helpless?"_

_Lilly blinked at him. "No."_

_"How do you feel now?"_

_"Like I'm in control of my life. No one can hurt me anymore because I...I guess I can take care of myself now."_

_"It feels good to rely on someone, Lilly. But if you don't have anyone to rely on, you must rely on yourself."_

_"Can I rely on you and Mrs. Bartleby?"_

_"Of course. We won't be around forever, but I think you know that better than most people."_

_"I do. But...what happens now? Will they still come here?"_

_"They might, or they might not. I hope you will refrain from killing more of them, but I can't force you to do that."_

_"You can't?"_

_Oliver laughed. "As you said, you are in control of your life. I doubt you'd let anyone take that from you. But may I ask what you'd like to do?"_

_Lilly lowered her head and gazed at the floor. "I want to kill Bronte for what he did to me and my brother. I want those Hilltop Boys to die, I want my father's pocketwatch back. I want them to know what they took from me, what they took from my brother," she growled, tightening her hands into fists. "I want them to hurt. I want them to suffer. I want them to die. What they did was wrong and I want...no, I...I need to make them pay."_

_"What did they take from Brian and you?"_

_"...Everything. His life, my happiness, and...I feel like it's my duty to do what the law won't do because he owns most of this city. If they won't do somethin', I have to. No one else will."_

_"Lilly, I'm going to give you some advice. There is a difference between justice and revenge."_

_"There is?"_

_"Yes. Justice is unbiased. Justice is about righting a wrong. Justice gives equal punishment for the crime; it brings balance. Revenge, however, is all about emotions. Hatred, rage, wanting bloodshed and violence. It's very personal and it tends to bring out the worst in people, and causing harm and suffering to the wrongdoer becomes, let's say, pleasureable. So, about those men. Was it justice you wanted, or was it revenge?"_

_Lilly took a deep breath. "I think, those men...I just wanted Bronte and his men to leave you alone. They won't stop comin'...until they find me or I do somethin' about it."_

_"Did the crime match the punishment?"_

_"...No. But I couldn't politely ask them to bugger off, could I?"_

_Oliver laughed. "No, I think not."_

_"And who says they haven't commited murder or...other things? I know those two did. Most of Bronte's men do bad things like that, and...it ain't right. I don't want good people to have everythin' taken from them, especially by that Italian pig and his greedy piglets. Because I know how it feels."_

_Oliver slapped her shoulder softly. "Lilly, I think you may have wanted both."_

_Lilly crinkled her nose and eyes. "I can want both?_ _"_

_"_ _Sure you can. I must warn you, though. Revenge is a dangerous thing to carry with you. It can eat you alive, it can rot you to the core and leave a hole inside you. And even when you have gained your vengeance, nothing will fill that hole. Except exacting more harm onto others, even innocents, such as yourself. But it never stays full."_

_"But I'm not innocent anymore, am I?"_

_The man hobbled off the bed. "No, but you're not corrupted, either. You, my dear?" he patted her head. "I think you have a good balance between what's right and what's wrong. Never lose that balance. Come on now, I think my wife made you a cake. Strawberries in it. Your favorite."_

_Lilly gave a soft smile. Perhaps she could retain some innocence from the life she had before. Like how she felt whenever she had strawberry cake._ _But not even that could cool the flames of her anger. And so that night, Lilly went on the hunt through_ _the dark alleys of Saint Denis. Lilly was stalking one of Bronte's goons. They kept coming to the god damn house. They kept looking for her. She knew they wouldn't stop but she wanted them dead anyway. It wasn't just about making them stop. Lilly needed...experience. To carry out justice...and revenge. So, there she was, near the docks of Saint Denis in the middle of the night, armed with only her dead brother's knife and her bloodthirsty urges._

_There was one of Bronte's men, Emilio. Drunker than a skunk and talking to a few sailors. Lilly sunk behind a box near one of the boats. She sat there in silence, waiting. They continued chatting for a few minutes until she heard them disperse. Lilly peeked over and saw her inebriated target slump towards an alley. She glanced around to check for anyone else around. The sailors had their backs to her and were walking away. Lilly got up and walked quietly toward the alley entrance the Bronte man had gone through._

_She paced slowly behind him, keeping some distance but not too far to lose him. Lilly saw Emilio turn a corner and she pranced to it, keeping her back against the brick. Lilly looked around the corner to see Emilio stumble over. He laughed at himself drunkenly. Lilly scowled, took her knife, and went towards him. He stayed on his knees and giggled in a drunk state of happiness. She grabbed his hair and cut his throat open._

_Lilly watched as the blood spattered out and she shoved Emilio's body to the ground. She bent down, soaked her hands in the blood, and wrote her family's motto on the wall. Fidus Et Audax. Lilly stalked off after sheathing her knife. This was her third kill since leaving Bronte's home. And again, she felt numb and cold. But she knew she'd have to do better than target drunk men. The ones she'd gotten so far were some of the worst she'd known. As she turned another corner, Lilly happened across a man beating on a blonde haired woman. Lilly recognized him as another one of Bronte's men. Francis. He slapped the woman and she went down, crying and holding her cheek._

_"You are such a fucking bitch!" Francis yelled. "Who do you think you are, Charlotte?"_

_"I don't want to be with you anymore!" Charlotte cried. "You're a horrible, evil man! You keep hurting me for no reason!"_

_"I have reasons! You're a god damn slut!"_

_"I am not, I swear I haven't been with anyone but you!"_

_Francis went down to backhand her but Lilly shouted at him. "HEY!"_

_He looked up and saw the girl. He laughed and stood up. "Well, if it isn't the lost little flower."_

_Lilly growled and took a step forward. "Leave the lady be, ya bastard!"_

_Francis laughed. "What are you gonna do about it, little Irish girl?"_

_Charlotte looked behind her at Lilly. Lilly glanced at the woman, then back at Francis. "The same thing I did tah Marco, Alex, and Emilio."_

_He laughed again. "That was you? Wait, I didn't hear about Emilio."_

_Lilly started walking towards him. Her knife was clutched in her hand and her eyes burned with rage. "That's because no one has yet. He's just back there if ya want a look."_

_Francis shoved Charlotte aside and started barreling to Lilly. He yanked out his gun and aimed it at her. "I'm takin' you back to Bronte, little girl."_

_Lilly chuckled bitterly. "Oh, ya scared of a little girl, are ya? Ya think ya need that gun?"_

_Francis stopped, sighed, and holstered it. "No. I think I can tussle with you just fine." He walked towards her again._

_Lilly increased her pace. As they closed the distance, Francis reached for Lilly's knife, but she jumped back. "I won't make it easy, Francis. Miss Charlotte? I suggest ya run before ya see bad things happen."_

_Charlotte got up and went running. Francis turned and shouted at Charlotte. "Get back here!"_

_Lilly smirked and stabbed him in the gut. He yelled and tried to grab her but Lilly jumped back again. "Ya boys really are stupid. Don't ya know never tah turn away from someone threatenin' ya with a knife?"_

_Francis held a hand to his stomach, then reached for his gun. Lilly ran forward and plunged the knife up under his ribcage. He yanked the gun out and Lilly plunged the knife into his arm. He dropped it and Lilly stabbed him in the throat. Francis gurgled a bit and went down. Lilly sheathed her knife and sighed. "Stupid Italian." Lilly made her mark on the wall and left._

_Over the next six weeks, Lilly picked out targets to kill. They got harder as she went along, but Lilly found she had a natural knack for hunting and killing. Her next victim was Charlie, one of Bronte's most loyal men. She sliced his throat in an alley just outside one of the saloons. And again, she left her mark on the wall. Eventually the men stopped looking for her at the Bartleby residence, but that no longer was her reasoning for killing. She was building up her skills._

_When Lilly wasn't killing, she was out climbing trees in the swamps at night. She jumped and leaped from branches to increase her athleticism, although she fell a few times. That didn't stop her. She practiced her stalking on skunks, raccoons, opossums, then she moved on to boars and deer. Lilly would always bring home meat and pelts to her caretakers. When they asked why she was hunting, all she told them was that she was hungry. Lilly insisted that was the only thing she was doing. Hunting. They stopped asking questions eventually, so Lilly was satisfied they knew nothing else. Her next victim was Boris, and she killed him by slicing his guts open in an alley. And again, she left her mark on the wall. The newspapers started giving the killer of these men "The Fidus Et Audax Killer." Lilly went after Lawrence. She cut his throat in the opera house after sneaking in. Then she killed Patrick in an empty warehouse. Stabbed him in his chest five times. With each kill, animal and man alike, Lilly honed her murderous instincts, her stealthy abilities, her quick feet, and her climbing and hiding skills. Her kills became less sloppy. And each night she went out, she stalked and killed Bronte's men. She even took one poor unfortunate Italian named Marlon and hung him from a tall building by his entrails, leaving her mark on the rooftops of Saint Denis. And it wasn't long until her body count was at fifty one before she had two more men to practice on._

_The last two men she went after were the creme de la creme of Bronte's men. Herbert and Fabricio. Their deaths did not come easy. They were both naturally suspicious. They actually had brains. But she stalked them like a wild cat, nonetheless. Herbert...she snuck into his home, tiptoed up behind his reading chair, and stabbed him in his temple. And Fabricio. That had truly been her crowning achievement. One night, Lilly snuck into his apartment. She hid in his bedroom closet, waiting for him to come home. She waited for hours. Finally, when that man came home, got himself ready for bed, and went to sleep, Lilly slowly opened the closet doors. Lilly gracefully made her way across the carpet, climbed onto the sleeping man's body, and woke him by whistling. Fabricio sat up as he woke and she sliced his throat open. After taking his blood and leaving her motto on the wall, she knew the time had come. Lilly heard at one point the Hilltop Brothers left town, but she didn't know where. So...she'd have to ask Bronte before she sliced his throat open. And then the night came. It was storming out. It was raining. And she was finally read_ _y._

_It wasn't hard for her to smeak into Bronte's house. It was poker night. Most the men would be drunk off their asses and enjoying one upping each other with money. There were a few sentries, sure, but Lilly avoided them as quietly as a mouse. And when she crept up the stairs to Bronte's room, she pulled out her knife and slowly opened the door. She saw Bronte's sleeping form in the bed and her bare feet crossed the threshold as lightning flashed and thunder boomed in the skies above. The last two months had led up to this point. All up to this. The girl hovered over the man in his bed and she dragged the metal down his cheek._

_"Paaapaaa..." she whispered._

_The man woke up and stared up at her as lightning flashed. Lilly's eyes burned down at the Italian. "Hello, Papa Bronte," she said with a knife to his throat and a hand over his mouth._

_Lightning flashed and thunder boomed outside his bedroom window. "I'm goin' tah take me hand off yer mouth," she whispered. "Ya scream, yer dead."_

_Lilly removed her hand and Mr. Bronte chuckled. "Oh, you silly little girl. You wouldn't kill a defenseless man in his bed."_

_Lilly pressed the knife in more. "I would. And I will." Light filled the room for a moment, then a clash of thunder came._

_"Then what is stopping you?"_

_"The Hilltop Brothers," Lilly growled. "Where did they go?"_

_"Oh, them," he laughed. "You want information on their whereabouts, hmm?"_

_"Yes."_

_"And what do I get in return for this information?" More lighning and thunder._

_Shit, what did she have to offer him? Nothing. "Yer life," she lied._

_"Oh, come now. You don't really expect me to believe that now, do you?"_

_"It's why I haven't killed ya," she growled. "Yet."_

_"Haha, what a devil of a child you've become. 7-years-old and threatening a mob boss with a knife. But I know you, il piccolo mio fiore."_ _[my little flower]_

_Lilly slapped him in the face. "Non chiamarmi più così!" [Don't call me that anymore!] Lightning and thunder filled the room once more. "Travis and Steven! Now!"_

_"Okay, okay, little assassin. I could never resist you or your desires. The Hilltop Brothers. I sent them to Blackwater on business." Lightning and thunder._

_"Do they still have me father's pocketwatch?"_

_"I believe they do. They don't like to rid themselves of trophies."_

_"...trophies?"_

_"Yes, little one. You think your brother was the first one they killed on my orders? They do have quite a savage nature...I'm sure you're familiar with savagry now, aren't you?"_

_"No." Lightning and thunder._

_Bronte laughed. "You always were a terrible liar. Now...are you going to honor the deal and spare my life, little one?" Lightning and thunder._

_"Yes. But not forever," Lilly snarled. "I will come back fer ya, Bronte. Not today not tomorrow," she leaned closer to his face. "But I will come back. One day. And ya will pay for me brother's death. I can promise ya that, ya fuckin' greasy bastard."_

_"Oh, such language from my little flower," he smirked._

_More lightning and thunder. "I told ya not to call me that!" Lilly sliced the knife down his chest and ran out of the bedroom._

_He shouted in pain and yelled for his men. Lilly ran through the corridor of the mansion towards the stairs. A man came running out of the poker room and tried to grab her, but she stabbed him in the leg and he dropped to the floor. Lilly pulled the knife out and fled down the stairs. She almost fell but recovered her footing and jumped to the floor in front of the last step. She turned to the right down the hallway and a man held out his arms to catch her. However, his legs were stretched apart. His mistake. Lilly plopped to her hip and slid under him. The wetness of her clothes made it a simple thing to execute, especially along the hardwood floor. Lilly got back up and ran to the back door. She quickly unlocked it and fled from the house, running into a barrage of heavy raindrops She sped across the back lawn and sheathed her knife. A gunshot echoed just before lightning struck and thunder rumbled through the skies. The bullet missed. Lilly ran to her once favorite climbing tree and leaped up to grab the lowest branch._

_Lilly pulled herself up and climbed higher. More gunshots were heard. Lightning and thunder clashed. Lilly trailed along a thick branch towards the wall and jumped. Lilly landed on the top and ran along the edge to get near her box. Bullets flew past her, another lightning bolt flashed, preceeded by a thunder clap. Lilly jumped down and landed on the box, but fell off and hit the ground. Luckily, she wasn't hurt. Lilly sped across the street to an alleyway, still being shot at. Lilly fled through the maze of alleys, the rain never ceasing. She found a hiding spot under a wagon. She climbed to the very back of the wall and took shallow, loud breaths. She covered her mouth and took in air through her nostrils. Lilly eventually got her respiration to calm. More lightning and thunder. Lilly saw feet run by, men yelling out to search for the Irish girl. Minutes passed by and Lilly saw no sign of anyone running by, but she stayed where she was. Lightning and thunder clashed once more, the rain pit pattering on the cobblestones._

_Lilly was unsure how long it took for the rain to stop and the storm to cease its terrible lights and sounds, but once it did, she started crawling under the wagon back to the open alley. As she stood, a man grabbed her and she shrieked. "Got ya!" he laughed._

_The man was suddenly hit in the head with a metal object and he slumped to the ground. Lilly spotted a boy holding what looked like an old frying pan. "Tá tú ceart go leor, deirfiúr?" he asked._ _[You're okay, sister?]_

 _Lilly ran to him and hugged him. "Sean! Sea, tá mé ceart go leor!"_ _[Yes, I'm okay!]_

 _Sean held her and kissed her cheek. "Ar mharú tú é?"_ _[Did you kill him?]_

_"Níl, ach tá a fhios agam cá ndeachaigh Travis agus Steven. Tá siad ar an Abhainn Dhubh. Caithfidh mé dul ann! Píosa ama m'athair._ _" [No, but I know where Travis and Steven went. They are on the Black River. I have to go there! My father's time piece.]_

_"Alright," 10-year-old Sean said. "But you need to leave tonight. There's a train leavin' for Blackwater in an hour!"_

_"How do ya know?"_

_"I checked, ya silly girl! I checked all the trains! Ya didn't think you were all alone in this, did ya? Brian was my friend! And I promised him I would look out for ya!"_

_"Thank you, deartháir! But wait! I need tah...I need tah do somethin' first!"_

_"What, love?"_

_"I need tah say goodbye tah some people."_

_Sean grabbed her arms. "Okay, but be careful, deirfiúr. I will meet you at the train. One hour. Do not be late!"_

_Lilly kissed his cheek and ran off through the alleys. She needed to say goodbye to the Bartleby's before leaving, although she was only planning on leaving a note. If they knew what Lilly did and what she was about to do, they would not let her leave._


	47. Galerie Laurent

"Lilly, you look radiant," Dutch said as he kissed his daughter's cheek. "Absolutely beautiful."

"Aww shucks, Pa," she said in a southern accent.

Dutch and the other men laughed. "Alright boys. Arthur, go find the mayor if you can, and stay outta trouble. And steal nothin' unless it's information."

"Of course," Arthur said, kissing Lilly on the cheek. "Look for me later."

"Okay," she said as she watched him go.

"Hosea, you go find us some place to rob. Bill, go find us some new friends. Lilly, we should talk before I go do anythin'," Dutch said.

When Hosea and Bill left, Lilly joined Dutch at the railing. "So, how was your conversation with Bronte?" Lilly asked with not much enthusiasm.

"The man is a bigot and an ass," Dutch laughed. "How did you ever put up with that?"

"I just ignored it. So did my brother."

Dutch tilted his head. "Right. Your brother worked for him." Dutch cleared his throat. "Listen, uh, he wants to speak with you."

Lilly groaned. "Dammit."

"I know. If you don't want to, I'll understand."

"No, I better, or he'll come find me and possibly cause a scene." Lilly kissed Dutch's cheek. "I'll be back. Boys, go on and mingle."

The boys went down the stairs and Dutch laughed. "They really do understand you, don't they?"

Lilly laughed and patted Dutch on the shoulder. "You have no idea."

Lilly left Dutch to his own devices as she ascended the steps inside the house. She got to the other balcony where Bronte was waiting for her. "Ah, Mrs. Morgan. A pleasure to see you again."

Lilly feigned a smile. "Quite."

Bronte motioned for his men to leave and Lilly stood next to him. "So, I hear you are having twins. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"How?" Bronte asked.

"How what?"

"Don't play dumb, Lilly. It is beneath you."

Lilly glared at him. "You wouldn't know what's beneath me."

"Hmm. But really, how?"

Lilly chuckled with a scoff. "I guess your boys didn't do a good enough job of beatin' the fertility right outta me."

"So it would seem. What other secrets do you have?"

"None of your damn business."

Bronte laughed. "Ha, still the same fire. I missed that. And I missed you."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Clearly, since you decided to put a price on my head."

"As I said, for your safe return."

Lilly shook her head. God, this man. "What makes you think I'm not safe?"

"You're wanted in three states. Can Arthur keep you safe?"

"I think you know I can damn well keep myself safe. You had me trained very well."

"Yes," Bronte said with a laugh. "You were my best student, you know."

"Of course I was," Lilly smirked. "I'm just that great."

Bronte laughed again. "Yes you were. Do you remember the pranks you played on my staff? Those were the best."

Lilly couldn't help but snort at the memories, then she cleared her throat. "Yes I do."

"I think the best one was when you dressed up that mannequin and threw it off my roof."

Lilly shook her head with a soft smile. "Yes. The looks on their faces was priceless."

Both of them laughed. "See, it wasn't all bad, was it?" Bronte asked. "It would be nice to have that back."

Lilly arched a brow. "I'm not a kid anymore."

"I meant with your two bambinos." Bronte smiled at her. "Sarebbe bello avere bambinos che corrono di nuovo in giro." _[It would be nice to have children running around again.]_

"Heh. You know, there ain't anythin' you can say or do to get me to come back. You killed my brother. I have not forgotten that."

"Hmm. And I have not forgotten your promise. What's stopping you from doing it now?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Like you even need to ask. You know why."

"I was testing you. Always in the shadows, never in public, but you could always make an exception."

Lilly leaned against the railing and glared at Bronte. Their eyes met and it hardened Lilly's determination. "I could, but I have a more specific plan for you in mind."

"Such as?"

"Ha, I'm not stupid enough to tell you that." Fireworks went off in the distance and took them away from the conversation. Lilly gazed out at them and smiled. "Those sure are pretty."

"Yes, they are. A little loud, though."

"Heh. Your hearing still good in your old age?" she mocked.

Bronte laughed loudly. "You and your jokes."

Lilly wheezed a laugh. She was enjoying this too much and she cleared her throat again. She saw Arthur following a servant and she sighed. "Well, if there is nothin' else?"

"I heard you were flogged, Lilly. Is that true?"

Lilly sighed and turned her back to him. Her dress was low enough to show some of the scars. "What do _you_ think?"

When she shifted back around, Lilly was surprised to find a sad look on Bronte's face. "Those look awful."

"Yeah, but they're just scars." Lilly's mouth scrunched up. "How are you gettin' this information? You got some old lady with a crystal ball or somethin' hidden somewhere?"

Bronte giggled. "No. I pay well for information."

"I see."

"And Leviticus Cornwall is still after you as well?"

"...Yes."

"Can you protect yourself from him too?"

Lilly huffed. "Leviticus Cornwall is a delusional old bastard who thinks I'm some sort of reincarnated goddess. He was once my uncle, but not anymore."

"Your uncle? You mean your Uncle Levi?"

"Mmhmm." Lilly gave a high pitched hum of an answer.

"Sapevo che era pazzo, ma non così." _[I knew he was crazy, but not like that.]_

Lilly sighed. "Neanche io. Non ne avevo idea finché non ha provato a bruciarmi sul rogo come una maledetta strega." _[Me neither. I had no idea until he tried to burn me at the stake like a cursed witch._

Bronte's eyes widened. "He tried to kill you twice."

"With the flogging, as well. I had been poisoned."

"You were poisoned?! How are you still alive?"

"I got better," she said with a shrug.

Bronte's brow wrinkled as he smirked. "Lilly, you always were a horrible liar."

"Lilly?" She heard Arthur say behind her. "You ready to go?"

Lilly almost sighed in relief but then she heard a growl. She saw the look on Bronte's face and felt the urge to smile as he looked almost terrified. She turned around to see Brian and James, the fur on their backs raised and their teeth showing.

"Éasca, Deartháir Mór agis Deartháir Beag. An díoltas a bheidh againn go luath," Lilly promised. _[Easy, Big Brother and Little Brother. We will soon have revenge.]_

Brian and James backed off and Lilly turned to Bronte. She gave a small curtsy before leaving with Arthur and the boys. As the descended the stairs, Arthur held her hand. "You okay?" he asked her.

Lillu squeezed gently. "Yes, I'm okay."

The couple and the wolves met up with Dutch and the rest of the group. "Guys, I think we're done here," Hosea said with a warm smile.

The group turned amd walked through the house. "What did you find out?" Dutch asked Hosea.

"There's plenty of money moves through here, of course, and I think I found out how we can grab some of it."

Lilly wasn't paying much attention as she considered all that happened that night. What worried her more was the Native American, Eagle Flies. Why was he so interested in her and the wolves? His father, Rains Fall, explained that animals, especially wolves, were of great importance to all Native American tribes as one of family, healing, and hunting. Lilly had all three of those things going on for her, so perhaps there was something to that myth. Arthur said something to her as they walked and she looked at him with a confused expression. "Sorry, what?"

"I said are you sure you're okay?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. Just...do you remember those three Indian fellas that was watchin' us a while back? When we were first comin' down to Horseshoe Overlook?"

"Yeah, why?"

"One of them was here and he seemed pretty pissed off about me havin' Brian and James around."

"Jesus. Anythin' else?"

"Not really. His father was nice."

"And Bronte? What were you doin' up there?"

Lilly shut her eyes. "He wanted a moment of my time. We talked for a bit about the past and bad shit that happened to me. Includin' what he had done to me."

Arthur paused with her. "Ní féidir leat insint dom?" _[You can't tell me?]_

Lilly sighed. "Ní anseo. Sa bhaile." _[Not here. At home.]_

"Okay."

They walked once more amd Lilly pet her wolves. "I came here on Liath. Meet you at home?"

"Yes."

Lilly kissed her husband and watched him ride away in the carriage. "Come on, boys."

* * *

Lilly, still in her dress, was sitting on the bed waiting for Arthur. It was time for her to tell him everything. She couldn't keep it all inside anymore and, well, he was the one person she could trust with her life story. Arthur entered the tent with a smile. "Hey there, beautiful."

Lilly smiled back at him. "Hello, handsome man of mine."

Arthur undid his white bowtie and sat down next to her on the bed. "Do you need help gettin' the dress off?"

"Yes, but Arthur..." Lilly took a deep breath as she began to take out her earrings. "I think it is time."

"For?" he shook his head with a puzzled expression.

Lilly held his hand. "For you to know things."

"Which things?"

"Everything."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Everything?"

Lilly gave him a bottle of bourbon. "You are going to need this." She stood up and began pacing back and forth. "So, you know why I want that man dead. To avenge my brother, yes?"

"Yes."

"Okay, but what you don't know is that I was a student of his in a special...school. A school to train us in certain skills, like hunting, fighting, even pickpocketing and...ultimately, killing. Only a dozen of us made it in there, and one of the requirements was to be sterilized. The boys were supposed to be done at age nine, the girls at seven. I refused the procedure. So..." Lilly paused to put her earrings in her mother's jeweley box. Her back was to Arthur.

"So? What happened?"

Lilly shuddered, remembering it all a little too well.

* * *

_Lilly took another hit to the stomach as two men held her up by her arms. The man beating her up then hit her in the face. Lilly grunted as blood trickled down the corner of her lip. The beating took place in a small assembly room in Bronte's house. Most of the other students watched, and were forced to watch as Lilly took her beating. But she would not break, even when they beat her so bad, her womb became scarred and broken for the rest of her life. Even though Bronte ordered it to make an example of her, he still visited her in the hospital each day and he always brought flowers with him._

_"I am sorry it came to this, Lilly," he said._

_Lilly looked away from him. "Why would you make everyone watch, Papa? You know all the other kids hate me. They won't let me live it down."_

_"That is the point. To make you stronger, my daughter."_

_"You mean so they can try to beat me up more?" Bronte sighed and put a hand on the girl's arm but she shrugged him off, still not looking at him. "Get out."_

_The door opened and shut and Lilly began to cry quietly._

* * *

"Things were different after that. Brian wasn't even there when it happened. He'd been sent out to..." Lilly took a shaky breath in. "...to collect debts."

Lilly saw Arthur frown in the mirror. She took off her gloves. "And then what happened?"

"I...the three men that beat men...to appease me, Bronte forced me to torture and kill them. Slowly."

Arthur's face in the mirror was one of restrained frustration. "Go on."

"Brian was lied to about my beating." Lilly removed her necklace and began to undo her braids. "He was told I got beat up by some school kids, but he didn't believe it. And...I was loyal to Papa, even after all that, so I kept my mouth shut, but he found out and he was so furious, he...well, he hit Bronte in the face, threatened him, and said that he and I were leaving Saint Denis to get away from all this. And...Bronte tried to...he ripped my dress and tried to..." Lilly leaned on the vanity table and bowed her head. "Do things to me. Right in front of Brian."

Arthur kept himself on tje bed but Lilly watched his hands grip the sheets tightly. "I'm listening."

"I hurt Bronte with a kitchen knife during...that, so as punishment, he ordered Steven and Travis to make me watch Brian get beaten and shot. But we had a back up plan for me to get out of there."

"What was that?"

"He made me promise to run once they were done with him. So I did that. I ran. I ran to the one place I knew I'd be safe. Mr. and Mrs. Bartleby's house."

"Who were they?"

"Mrs. Bartleby was Bronte's cook. I lived with that man for two years and she was the only staff member who didn't quit."

"Why'd the others quit?"

Lilly laughed. "Because if all the pranks I'd play on them."

Arthur burst out laughing. "Yes, your pranks can get pretty bad."

"Yes, they can."

"So, what happened next?"

Lilly's hands tightened into fists and she stood up straight. "You've been in town. Ever hear about The Fidus Et Audax Hunter?"

Arthur stood up from the bed. "No but that's your family motto."

"Yep."

"You...why were you given that name?"

"Because when I was done hidin', under the Bartleby's house, after Bronte kept sendin' his men to find me, I...I broke. I broke and I went and killed his men. So many men," she shook her head and put her back to him. "I killed fifty three men in two months while always leaving my mark "Fidus Et Audax" in their blood. After a while, I got the name."

"Why hunter?"

"Because I only killed at night and it was mostly in dark alleys that I killed my pr...my victims."

Arthur wrapped his arms around her. "I am so sorry, darlin'."

"I was a serial killer, Arthur. I was only seven and they were just practice. But I was _seven_."

Arthur held her tighter and kissed her shoulder. "I know. Sean, he...he told me all about that, but I'm glad you told me anyway. But how did you get from there to Blackwater?"

"I snuck into his house to kill him, but in exchange for his life, he told me where Steven and Travis went. I escaped and Sean helped me get on the first train out of Saint Denis."

"He stayed behind?"

"To make sure I'd get outta there, yeah. He made a promise to Brian to look out for me. But before I left, he told me about Craig and said I could trust him. So when I got to Blackwater, he's the first guy I went to for information."

Arthur rocked her side to side as he kissed her neck again. "And then you found them?"

"Yes."

"And you got the watch, they tried to get you, and?"

"Then I ran into Dutch, stole his wallet, ran into you, stole your wallet, then ran into the theater," Lilly said, giggling.

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "And you stole my other things when you knocked me down, huh?"

"Yep."

"You little sneak."

Lilly giggled and kissed Arthur's hand. "You guys saved me in more ways than one, Arthur. Not only did you, Dutch, and Hosea save me from gettin' kidnapped, you guys saved me from myself, too. I don't know where I'd be without yas."

Arthur turned her around and put his lips to hers. "I understand that this was hard for you to talk about, but...why change your mind now?"

A tear ran down Lilly's cheek. "It was my fault that Brian died. That's what made it so hard, and that's why I kept it bottled up this whole time. But seein' Bronte again reminded me that it wasn't my fault. It was Bronte's god damn fault."

Arthur frowned and kissed her tear away. "I'm sorry, Lilly. So, so sorry you went through all that...are you okay?"

Lilly started trembling and the tears came flowing. "I don't know," she sobbed.

Arthur held her close and shushed her. "I hate seein' you cry."

Lilly buried her face into his shoulder. "I know but I can't help it. The bairns make me so emotional."

Arthur chortled and kissed her cheek, rubbing her back as he comforted her. "Ah, mo stór, mo grá, mo chúis maireachtála..." _[my darling, my love, my reason for living...]_

Lilly sniffled. "Mo chuisle, mo bithiúnach, mo fhear céile le croílár leon." _[My pulse, my reprobate, my husband with a lion core.]_

Lilly cried for a few more minutes before wiping her eyes and sniffling again. Arthur pulled out a hankerchief and put it on her nose. "Blow your nose." Lilly blew her nose and Arthur dried her tears. "There you go," he cooed. "There's my girl."

Lilly chuckled. "You're so paternal."

Arthur laughed. "Gonna have to be when the babies come." He put a hand to her belly. "Now, let's get some shut eye, huh? I'm takin' you out tomorrow. You need a nice expectin' momma day, mo bhean chéile cróga." _[my brave wife.]_

Lilly laughed as Arthur put his hanky on the vanity table. "I don't feel so brave," she said.

"Oh you are. You stood up to that greasy bastard quite a bit so you're brave in my book."

* * *

The next day, Arthur took Lilly out to Saint Denis for some ice cream and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She even took the opportunity to combine pickles with it, but it ended in a small disaster of Lilly almost vomiting. It made Arthur cackle with glee. They walked around some more and eventually ended up on Gasper Street and running into Brother Dorkins. There was a nun there teaching young boys how to read. Lilly and Arthur approached.

"Hello again, Brother Dorkins!" Lilly said enthusiastically.

Dorkins got up with a smile. "Sister, this is Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. My friends."

"Oh!" The nun got up. "Sir, ma'am," she came and shook their hands. "Brother Dorkins told me about the wonderful thing you did," she said to Arthur.

"Oh, he talks a lot of nonsense, no offense," Arthur said with a small chuckle.

"None taken."

Lilly noticed one of the kids grabbing the nun's crucifix. He went to run but Lilly grabbed him and the crucifix. "Hey there, chiseler. Where ya off to in such a hurry?"

"Let me go!" the kid yelled.

Lilly took the crucifix from him and let him go. "Alright, who does this belong to?"

The kid went to hit her in the stomach but Arthur clasped his hand on the kid's arm. "You try that, kid, and I will break your arm off," Arthur snarled. Lilly's eyes widened in shock from the ferocity of Arthur's glare. Oh boy. Lilly cleared her throat and Arthur let go of the boy.

Lilly sighed as she gave the crucifix back to the nun. "Now, uh, we should get goin', Arthur."

"Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. You both are wonderful people," the nun said.

"Oh. Um, thanks," Lilly chuckled. "Arthur, let's go, dear."

Arthur gave the kid one last glare before looking at his wife. As they walked away, Lilly could hear Brother Dorkins explaining Lilly's pregnancy. She looked back and saw the boy looked ashamed...as he should be. Lilly looked at Arthur with a smile. "So protective, mo chuisle."

Arthur sighed and held her arm. "Yes I am."

"C'mon, let's go find Charles' exhibition. You think he'll have our painting in it?"

"I hope to God it's not."

"So, did you boys find any information at the party?"

"Yes. A bank job, a trolley station, and a river boat with a poker game."

Lilly groaned. "Ugh, not another feckin' boat."

Arthur laughed. "Relax. Dutch won't be doin' that one."

The couple eventually got to "Galerie Laurent", the place where Charles said his exhibit would be. They walked up the stairs to the ticket guy. "Enjoy the show...if it's possible," he said.

Lilly chuckled. "Oh, um, is it okay if they come in?" she asked, motioning to the wolves.

"Oh sure. They're more than welcome!" the man said with a smile. "Heard about 'em around town!"

Lilly smiled, thanked the man, and they went in. Lilly looked around the first area and tried not to bump into a fighting couple. In the second room, though, Lilly stopped. "Arthur, look! It's Mr. Masons pictures!"

Arthur chuckled. "Oh yeah. Huh, they did come out pretty goo-"

"What's wrong?"

Arthur pointed to one photo and Lilly laughed as they walked to it. "That's us! I'll be damned!"

"Ha! Now we're in two pictures, boys," Arthur said to Brian and James.

"Hey, there's one of just you!"

"Yeah, heh heh heh." Lilly spotted Charles and the painting next to him. Lilly started giggling hysterically. "What now?"

"You hoped to the wrong God." Lilly wheezed out a laugh.

Arthur took a look and immediately blushed. "Ah, shit. I can't do this."

Lilly grabbed his arm. "Oh c'mon, just a few minutes, okay? It'll be fun. Just look at all those people. So disgusted," she laughed.

Arthur groaned. "Fiiine..."

The two with the wolves made their way to Charles who waved casually at them with a cigarette between his fingers. "Look at these idiots," Charles said.

Lilly stared at their painting. "Wow. I know I saw it before but now that it's dry, it looks even better. Arthur! Yer arse looks fantastic!" she said while biting her lip.

"Shut up, woman," Arthur said begrudgingly.

Lilly spotted an angry lady in a blue petticoat coming their way and she backed up next to the painting. "Excuse me, Mr. Châtenay." She turned and pointed at one of the pictures. "Couldn't you have painted some...oh my." Lilly grinned a bit as the lady looked between their painting and the couple repeatedly. "That...those are you two?"

"Yes," Lilly beamed. "We're also photographed in the other room, too, by the way."

"The nerve of your depravity!"

Lilly bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. "Well, ma'am, maybe if ya was more comfortable in your own skin, you wouldn't be so upset."

Arthur turned away with a flushed face and a smile he was trying so desperately to hide. "Couldn't you have painted some drawers on her?!" The woman pointed back to a different painting.

Charles sighed and walked leisurely with the woman to the painting in question. "Madam, I paint her in her natural state. As she was and will be in paradise."

"There's nothing natural about that!"

"Clothes are civilization, repression, death. To be naked is to be free, innocent, alive. Like Buddha said, you know, we are all just here to fuck."

Lilly snorted and pressed her face into Arthur's arm. "Is fear beag greannmhar é seo." _[This is a funny little man.]_

The lady gasped. "Well, that explains the decadence of those hottentots."

Arthur and Lilly looked at each other with amused expressions. "Hottentots?" they both mouthed.

"Hey, you got a picture of my wife here! In her...delicates!" one man yelled.

Lilly covered her mouth while Arthur pivoted at the waist to hide his face even though his chest was bouncing to contain his laughter.

"Henry, is that your behind? Why would you be showing it to that man?" A lady screeched.

Lilly shut her eyes and bent at the waist, quietly going into hysterics.

"That's my momma! As nude as the day she was born!" another man shouted.

Arthur started guffawing and Lilly buried her face into his shoulder to muffle her laughing.

"Stop lookin' at my husband's buttocks!"

"Stop lookin' at my momma!"

Lilly and Arthur started getting vocal with their laughing.

"Well maybe she shouldn't have exposed herself like that!"

"That's disgusting!"

"The nerve on you!"

"That's it!" Lilly heard glass break and she turned to see an all out brawl start to take place. She was almost in tears from laughing so hard. "Oh my God," she giggled.

"Come on, Mildred. This is no place for us!"

"Come here! Son of a bitch!"

The woman from before scowled at Charles. "You filthy little man!" And she knocked him down with her purse. Lilly fell to the floor laughing as Arthur went over to help Charles up. Arthur was cackling like crazy. "Come on, Horace, we're leavin'!"

Charles ran out of the room. "Hey! I'm comin' after you, Frenchy!"

Lilly motioned to the boys. "Boys, go guard the little French man please," Lilly cackled.

Arthur shoved the man away as the two wolves went running after Charles. Arthur engaged into a fight but Lilly couldn't stop laughing.

* * *

Later that day, Lilly decided she wanted to go hunting. She was feeling energetic, but Arthur was less enthused about joining her, at least if the wolves were joining her. So, Lilly went to go catch some food. Her and the boys tracked a small gathering of boars. At least three of them were worth killing for their pelts. Lilly loaded up three arrows and set her bows to work. The pair separated to stalk either side of the small sounder. Lilly drew back her arrows as Brian and James came running to cut off their escape from behind and the boars took off towards her. She let the first shot fly and it embedded itself in the skull of her first target. The other two were released and they both hit home on her other two quarries.

"Woo!" she yelled, standing up and jumping. "Good job, my brothers!" Lilly ran to one of the dead boars and took out the arrow. She skinned it then took the pelt and placed it on Doc's rear. "Go ahead and eat, brothers. You earned it."

The wolves immediately came running and chowed down on the dead carcass. Lilly skinned the other two and took all the meat she could carry. As she was packing it up, she heard screaming off in the distance. Lilly got up immediately and the boys lifted their heads. "Brian, James, see where it's coming from."

The boys headed north and Lilly followed on Doc. She saw campfire smoke due northeast and she increased the horse's pace. As she got closer, she heard men laughing and more screaming. She got off Doc and approached slowly in a crouched position. She ducked behind a grouping of trees and scanned the small camp. O'Driscoll's, six of them, and they had a prisoner.

"Please stooooooop!" a man yelled in pain.

Lilly recognized the voice. "Kieran," she whispered. "Shit."

"Haha, we ain't stoppin', boy. Now hold still!"

More screaming from Kieran came as Lilly loaded her bow with three arrows and aimed. She let each one go individually and shot three men down. The other three began shooting in her direction. "Go get 'em, boys!"

The boys went running through the trees and attacked two of the men. Lilly shot the last remaining one and killed him. The wolves were busy tearing out throats as Lilly got near Kieran. He was on his side sobbing.

"Lilly, is that you?" he cried out.

"Yes, it's me," she replied, kneeling down next to him and cutting his binds loose. "What happened?"

"They got me last night. I...I'm so sorry."

Lilly rolled him over and gasped when she saw his face. Blood was all over his face because they'd taken both his eyes out. "Oh my God, ya poor man. What did they..." Lilly covered her mouth for a moment. "Oh, Kieran...I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner."

"You...you need to get back to Shady Belle. They're comin'!"

"What?"

Kieran tried to sit up and Lilly helped him. "I didn't want to tell them, but they...it hurt so bad," he cried.

"Tell them what? About where we're holed up?"

"Yes! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Kieran sobbed in agony.

Lilly took her bandana, wrapped it over his eyes and secured a knot. She helped him to his feet and whistled for Doc. "Don't you worry about that, Kieran. You were tortured."

"We gotta get back and save everybody."

Doc came up and Lilly helped Kieran onto the rump, then she mounted up. "Just hang on to me, Kieran. We gotta go fast, can you hang on to me without fallin'?"

"I-I think so." Kieran wrapped his arms around Lilly and she went galloping off with her wolves to the south.


	48. Old Blood Feuds

Arthur was chatting with Sadie on the porch of Shady Belle when Dutch approached them both.

"Come on, we need to talk." Arthur got up to follow Dutch into the house. "Mrs. Adler, will you excuse us?"

"When are you gonna let me come robbin' with you, Dutch?" Sadie asked.

"My Lord, you're just like Lilly. A few more like them," he walked in with Arthur, "we could take over the whole world."

Arthur chuckled. "A few more like them, there wouldn't be much of a world left."

"Yes, perhaps. Speakin' of, where is Lilly?"

They both ascended the stairs. "She's out huntin' with the boys. She was pretty lively today."

"Good. Glad to see the twins ain't tirin' her out anymore. Heh," Dutch stopped and looked at Arthur with a big smile. "I still can't get over it. Hosea and I are gonna be grandfathers." Dutch put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "And you, my boy, will make a great father."

"Thanks, Dutch. That means a lot."

"Heh heh heh, so, at Dar...uh, what is it again?"

"Darach ar an gCnoc," Arthur said. "Means "Oak on the Hill"."

"Right. At Oak on the Hill, is there a nursery?"

"Yes, although a second crib is gonna be needed."

Dutch and Arthur walked out onto the balcony. "Yes. She didn't get a trousseau, but she will be gettin' a birthin' party, that's for sure." Dutch gave Arthur a cigar and lit it for him, then lot his own.

"What's a birthin' party?" Arthur asked before taking a puff.

"Oh, it's a party where only girls are allowed. They give gifts to the mother-to-be. But after these jobs, we'll have enough to get everybody to Ireland and then we can start plannin' all that."

Arthur took a deep breath. "It's finally happenin'. We're gettin' the hell outta here."

"Yes we are. Now, the trolley bus station...I went down there. I took a look at it. I think we can hit it." Dutch inhaled his cigar.

"You sure about trustin' Bronte's information on this? Lilly doesn't. Says he's a prankster."

"Hmm, that must be where she got it from. You remember when she buried all your guns and ammo and gave you a treasure map for 'em?" Ditch laughed.

Arthur burst out laughing. "Yes I do. I was so god damn mad at her." He took another puff from his cigar.

"Yeah, but you got her back, didn't you?" Dutch said with a mischevious smile.

"Yeah, I tied all her clothes up and sunk 'em in the lake."

Both the men laughed. "God, she hasn't played pranks for a while, huh?"

"Well, she's been busy, you know. We've all been busy."

"Yes." Dutch let out a deep chuckle and smoked. "You _both_ have been busy with each other."

Arthur felt his cheeks get red. "Well, I uh..." Arthur cleared his throat. "I-"

"Oh, don't get embarassed, Arthur. We're all adults. Just because she's..." Dutch looked behind Arthur. "Someone's here." Arthur turned around and Dutch pointed. "Look, there in the tree line." Arthur got a glimpse as the shooting started. "Everybody take cover! O'Driscoll boys are comin'!" Dutch yelled.

* * *

Lilly drove Doc through the woods as quickly as she could. Kieran hung on for dear life as Doc leapt over a fallen log. Lilly found the trail again and charged faster. "God, Doc, I need ya tah go faster! Hyah!"

Doc increased his speed tp what Lilly thought was almost inpossible for a big Shire horse for him but she was grateful. Even Brian and James were accelerating. Lilly started hearing gun shots to the south but she didn't stop. "Adair, if ya can hear me, I could use yer help right now!" she said to herself.

"Who's Adair?" Kieran asked. Suddenly a bright light surrounded Lilly's body.

* * *

"Hold in here. Stay away from the windows," Arthur said to people as he ran down the stairs to the front of the house. He burst through the doors and saw Mary-Beth, Strauss, Abigail, Jack, and Susan came running. "Get inside fast! Come on, quickly! Don't let anyone back through that door!"

Arthur aimed his rifle and shot before Arthur went into cover next to Sean and John. All three men kept shooting and ducking back behind sandbags. It was then that Arthur heard wolves howling. Lilly was back. Arthur looked over and was amazed at what he saw. It wasn't Lilly charging in on Doc. It was Adair. "Oh shit, haha!" Sean said. "Now they're in trouble."

* * *

Doc raced past them to the front of the house. She had Kieran with her. Adair lifted Kieran off her horse and banged on the door. "Hey! I have one of your mortals here! Let me in!"

The door opened to a very shocked woman in a red dress. "Lilly? What in the world are you wearin'?!"

"I am not Lilly!" Adair walked past her and set Kieran down before walking back outside. "Close that door!"

The lady did as she told and Adair went walking boldly across the lawn, shooting at her enemies with a rather large bow. Each time she hit a man, he went flailing through the air. The wolves tore through the lines as if the O'Driscolls were wet bags. Adair dropped her bow and pulled out a sword. "Come and fight me, you cowards!" she yelled.

"Lilly!" Charles yelled. "What the hell are you-"

Adair swung her sword down and split a man at the shoulder, then she turned and sliced through another man's neck. Bullets hit her but they only bounced off as more men tried to attack her. With an upward swing, Adair cut through a man's head. She felt a hit to her head and she turned around slowly with a glare. The man looked frightened. Adair chuckled with an evil smile before lifting him up by his throat and throwing him into a tree. A wagon came riding through but Adair took a high jump from the ground and landed on it, making it shatter and break. Screams escaped men's throats as she stabbed and gutted them, slicing them up piece by piece. She took two throwing knives hidden inside her belt and with a sideways swing of her arm, they hit the two drivers in the neck and they fell off.

"Adair! We got more comin' in 'round back!" she heard her vessel's husband yell. "Brian, James, come on!"

The wolves obeyed and Adair jumped down as Arthur went running. She was impressed. "Such bravery, for a human."

Adair ran to the back and continued the assault on her enemies. She heard a woman screaming in anger and she went running, cutting down men as she closed in on the sound. She ran past a broken down shack and stopped to see a woman in a yellow shirt and brown pants stabbing a man to death. She laughed as the woman stood, covered in blood. Sadie looked at Adair. "What's so funny?"

"Your savagery pleases me."

"Sadie!" Arthur came and stopped next to Adair. He stared wide eyed at the woman. "Sadie," he said with a shock but impressed tone of voice. "Why didn't you get inside?"

Sadie grunted as she reached for the dead man's repeater. "And miss all this?" Sadie asked. She stood once more and glanced at Adair. "What's with the outfit?"

"I wear the clothes of a warrior, human." Adair walked past the two and sighed. "Come. We have a battle to finish."

"Why is she talkin' like that, Arthur?"

"It's a long story. Come on."

Adair continued her walk through the area, bullets still bouncing off the goddess like small rubber balls. She stabbed one man in the neck and grabbed another by the arm, flinging him into the swamp. As she mowed down the men, she saw a man in a blue shirt jump out a window with another and he stabbed his opponent with some sort of sword she did not recognize. He looked up at Adair with fire in his eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked, his expression softening.

"I am fine. Why?"

"You got blood all over you."

Adair looked down at herself and laughed before looking at the man again. "This is the blood of our enemies. None of it is mine."

"Lilly watch out!" the dark man yelled.

Adair felt something hit her back and she turned around to see a man holding a knife. She sighed. "None of you fools learn, do you?" she asked.

The man hit her again but it didn't penetrate her skin. "W-What are you?"

Lilly raised the man by the throat and glared up at him. "I am Adair, daughter of The Morrigan and The Dagda. I am a goddess of war, death and hunting. Do you have any other inquiries?"

The man tried to free her hand from his throat. "No," he choked. "Please don't kill me, lady."

Adair squeezed and bones crunched beneath her palm. She dropped the body then turned and walked to the front of the house. Adair saw a dark haired man with a black hat and a black vest shooting and killing without cover as the rest of their opponents went running. "Cowards!" he yelled. He turned and looked at the goddess. "What's with the dress, Lilly?"

Adair sighed in frustration as she sheathed her sword. "I am Adair, not Lilly."

"Uh, Lilly? Are you feelin' alright?"

Arthur came up to the man. "Dutch, this is Adair. It's a very long story. Adair, can you let Lilly back out now?"

The boys went to Adair's side and she pet them gently. Adair scoffed at Arthur. "No she can not."

Arthur blinked a few times. "Why not?"

"She is resting and I have been asleep for far too long. I wish to enjoy being outside."

Arthur huffed. "Fair enough."

Adair looked around and smiled. "Do you require assistance with the cleansing of your home?"

"Yes, thank you."

Adair lifted a body. "The swamp. Is that a suitable burial ground for our fallen enemies?"

Arthur laughed. "Sure."

Adair nodded and picked up another body, hoisting them both over her shoulders. Dutch gaped at Adair then looked at Arthur. "Arthur? Explain, please?"

Arthur crossed his arms. "You want the long story or the short one?"

* * *

After Arthur told Dutch and the gang who Adair was, Dutch rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. "Well, that explains a lot about Lilly, don't it?"

"An Irish goddess, huh?" Charles sighed as he crossed her arms.

"Well, we always knew Lilly was special, but...but this?" Hosea said. "Very unexpected. And Bill, Micah, you and Sean saw her once before?"

"Yeah, when uh...well, she..." Arthur sighed. "She kinda died again."

"What? When?"

"In Rhodes. Grays thought she was a witch and burned her at the stake...with Uncle Levi's help."

Dutch narrowed his eyes. "Leviticus god damn Cornwall tried to kill her?!"

"Yeah. Mr. Pierce and Brutus, too. We was all locked up when it was goin' on, but then Adair came out and killed, well, almost everybody. Apparently they're Freemasons and think Adair was behind all the recent famines in Ireland."

"Was she?" Sean asked.

"No. She was framed. It's all in Lilly's journal."

"Her journal? What journal?"

Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lilly got a journal because after she died from the poisonin', she started havin', uh, visions." Arthur looked at Sean. "You were supposed to die in Rhodes but Lilly stopped that."

Sean's jaw went agape. "She saved my life? I mean I knew that already but I didn't know she knew. Why didn't ya tell me?"

"Lilly kinda wanted all this kept secret until she knew more. I feel bad for sayin' all this, but, well, then you all saw Adair."

"WHAT IN MY FATHER'S NAME ARE YOU?!" Arthur heard Adair shout. He went running over to the swamps with the others and started laughing. Adair had just killed an alligator and was pointing at it. She looked at the group. "What is that thing?!"

Arthur walked over to Adair and pat her shoulder. "That's an alligator."

"What is an alligator?"

"An animal. Nasty ones, too. One of the most dangerous animals in the world."

Adair shook her head. "Does it bear good meat?"

"Of course. You wanna carry it over to Pearson's cart?"

"Pearson's cart?" Adair asked with a puzzled look, picking up the dead alligator and walking with Arthur.

"He's the cook."

"Oh." Adair followed Arthur and put the creature down in front of Mr. Pearson. Pearson gaped at her and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What is the matter with you?"

"Nothin'. I just...well, Arthur just told us who you are, and...well...to be honest, I'm terrified of you."

Adair blinked a few times then smiled. "Why? Do you think I will rip you limb from limb? Stab you? Cut off your head?"

"Well, I don't know," Mr. Pearson stammered as he backed up a little. "Are you gonna do that?"

"No, as long as you do not become an enemy. Because if you do, I might eat you instead, Cook."

Mr. Pearson gulped. "You eat people?"

"Yes. Humans are delicious, you know."

Mr. Pearson went running away and Adair giggled. Arthur frowned at her. "Is any of that true?"

"No."

"Then why did you say that to Mr. Pearson?" Dutch asked.

Adair turned and saw a lot of people. She smiled again. "My vessel...Lilly, she told me to do it."

Arthur barked hysterically. "Is, is Lilly awake now?"

"Yes."

"Can she come out now?"

"She says she does not want to come out."

Arthur frowned. "Oh, why not?"

"She is afraid to come out. She knows everyone will have questions."

Arthur sighed. "Well, I kinda explained what was goin' on, so they already know."

Jack walked up to Adair. "Excuse me, lady?"

Adair looked down at the child and blinked, then arched an eyebrow. "Who is this tiny human?"

"I'm Jack." He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Adair stared at his hand then at Arthur. "What is he doing?"

Arthur chuckled. "You're supposed to shake his hand. _Gently._ "

"Oh." Adair shook Jack's hand. "Uh, nice to meet you? Jack, is it? I am Adair."

"You need a bath."

Adair looked down at herself and chuckled. "I do need a bath." She looked over at the swamps. "That is not a proper bathing spot. I will go find one, Little Jack." Adair let go of his hand and started walking. "Where is the local bath house?"

"Woa, wait a second," Arthur said. "You can't just go walking into the city covered in blood, Adair."

"Why not?"

Arthur gaped at her. "You'll scare people."

"Oh. Am I not supposed to scare people?"

"Not innocent people!"

Adair cocked her head to one side. "Alright. Calm yourself, fear chéile. Where shall I find this lake?"

"Follow me." Arthur went walking to Tessa and Adair followed. "Take Liath. Doc is...where is Doc? Doc!"

Doc came out the tree line and neighed gently. "Lilly says she has boar meat and pelts to offer," Adair said.

"Hey, Hosea? Can you grab the meat and pelts from Doc? Insufferable bastard will only tolerate you and Lilly."

Hosea came walking over to Doc. "Come on, old boy. Let's get you settled."

As Hosea walked away with Doc, Adair spotted Liath. "That is Liath Macha?"

"Yeah. That's his full name."

Adair mounted up and smiled. "Does Lilly have a preference to big hor-oh. Something about not being "freakishly tall"?"

Arthur cackled. "Yep, that's my Lilly."

Adair looked at herself. "Am I freakishly tall too?"

"Neither one of you is freakishly tall. At least not to me."

Adair smiled at him. "Shall we go?"

The two set off northwest to Flat Iron Lake. They took the wolves because they, too, needed baths. When they got just south of Clemens Point, Adair declothed and walked right into the water. Arthur did his best not to stare. It was his wife's body, but not her mind. Brian and James chased after her and she played with them in the water for a few minutes before they went off on their own.

Arthur sat on the shore. "Hey Adair, can I ask you something?"

"Yes," she said, unbraiding her hair.

"Are you and Lilly two separate people or are you the same?"

"We are both separate and one."

"I don't understand."

"We are two souls in one body. That is the best explanation I can give you."

"So, you're in my wife's body."

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, I..." Arthur averted his gaze when she turned around to face him. "Nevermind."

Adair laughed. "Are you worried about staring?"

"Yes."

"I see." Adair turned back around and got deeper into the water. "Now you may look."

Arthur lifted his eyes and sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. It is a shame, though. I have not made love in a very long time."

Arthur's eyes widened. "What?"

Adair turned her head and smirked at him. "You heard me."

Was she flirting with him? Was a goddess actually flirting with him? "Yes, but, you don't expect me to cheat on my wife, do you?"

"Would it be cheating?"

"Well, yes!"

"Well, if I were to take a lover of my own, would your wife be cheating on you?" Adair dipped her hair into the water.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "I...I don't know. Ain't she conscious right now?"

"Yes and she is all for my sexual hunger, and," Adair turned around and started walking toward Arthur. "I am so very hungry, Arthur."

Arthur gulped and stood up quickly. He knew that look in her eyes. Lilly had the same one whenever she flirted. "Adair, what are you doin'?"

"Lilly has given me permission to have my way with you."

"Sh-she what?" Arthur started backing up as the naked woman walked out of the water and stalked him. "She wouldn't do that. Let me talk to her."

Adair grinned from ear to ear. "You do not wish to make love to a goddess, Arthur?"

Arthur backed up more. "No, I don't." The bulge in his pants proved the opposite, of course. Now he felt horrible for being turned on. "Adair, please stop."

Adair didn't quit, though and she pressed herself up against him. "It has been so long since I have touched a man."

"I said no, Adair."

"Oh, your resolve is admirable and your loyalty is commendable, but your body is betraying you," Adair cooed.

Arthur shut his eyes with a deep breath, opened them with an exhale, and put his hands on her shoulders. "Adair, you are beautiful. I won't deny that. But you ain't my wife and I ain't gonna do it."

"I can make you. I am more powerful than you."

Arthur scowled. "Don't push me, god dammit, or I will give you a hell of a fight and I don't care how strong you are!" he snapped.

Adair suddenly burst into laughter and started pointing at him. "Lilly said you would react that way."

Arthur's eyes went wide. "What?! Did you two just prank me?!"

"Yes! Hahaha! Now I know why she does it!"

Arthur threw up both his arms and turned about. "I don't believe you two!" Adair was enveloped in light and Lilly, fully clothed, returned.

"Oh mo chuisle, don't be mad." Arthur looked at Lilly and she had her arms behind her, twisting back and forth with an innocent look in her face. "It was only a joke."

Arthur squinted his eyes, mildly amused. "You both are assholes, you know that?"

"Yes, but you still love me."

Arthur pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. "I do, but I will get you back for that."

* * *

The couple went back to Saint Denis and explored some more. Despite choosing the wild over civilization, Saint Denis sure did have its perks. Like ice cream, for example. Lilly had to have more of that so she bought herself some at a soda fountain. Then they stopped at a bakery and Lilly got some strawberry filled cake with buttercream icing. Arthur joined in on that dessert. On the way out they passed by the stables. Lilly saw some nice horses, especially a gold colored Turkoman, but she wasn't going to by one. She was satisfied with Liath and Doc. She merely wanted a look see. Then, as they headed north, they saw two Indians with an American.

"Huh, weren't them fellers at the party?" Arthur asked.

Lilly let out a sigh. "Yes, that would be Rains Fall and his son Eagle Flies."

"Hello? Helllooooo...open up! Come now, we have an appointment." the American said.

"Should we go see what's goin' on?" Arthur looked at her for reassurance.

Lilly shrugged. "Sure, why not? Maybe Eagle Flies will like you more," Lilly said sarcastically.

"Hello? Ugh, Lord give me strength. Bureaucracy; the modern hell, and personally, I prefer the fiery pits."

Lilly chuckled as they dismounted. She grabbed some salted beef and started eating as they got closer.

"Hey, do I know you?" Arthur asked the man.

"Mr...I believe we've met," the stranger said. "At that ghastly party."

"Oh, Evelyn Miller?" Arthur pointed.

"Unfortunately so, Mr.?

"Arthur Morgan." They shook hands. "At least sometimes. And this is my wife Lilly." He turned and saw Lilly stuffing her face with beef and he chuckled, turning back to Evelyn. "I'm sorry, she's eatin' for three at the moment."

Mr. Miller glanced at Lilly's belly. "Twins, huh? Congratulations," he said with a smile. "Can I say something rude? Not about her, but something else."

"Sure."

"The mayor thinks you robbed him."

Lilly choked a little on her food and pat her chest. All four men stared at her. "Ahem, excuse me, sorry. I wasna expectin' ya tah say...well, that."

"Well, to be clear, he wasn't very upset about it. He rather liked you and...wait, you're the woman with the wolves. I didn't know you two were married."

Lilly laughed before swallowing. "Yes, we are."

"I sort of met them at the party. Charming little fellows."

Eagle Flies scoffed and Lilly snapped a glare at him before responding to Mr. Miller. "Yes, they are."

"Well, where are they now?"

Lilly shrugged. "Huntin', sleepin,' hell if I know. They come and go as they please."

"Really? They don't stay with you?"

"They do when they want to. I don't keep 'em on a leash. They," Lilly eyeballed Eagle Flies, "ain't pets, Mr. Miller. They're wild animals."

Eagle Flies' expression softened just a bit and Lilly looked back at Mr. Miller. "I see. Well, anyway, Mr. Morgan, do you, uh, well I mean to say...can you steal things?"

"Is there a reason you're askin' me to incriminate myself, Mr. Miller?" Arthur asked.

"Well, sorry. Have you met?" Mr. Miller motioned to the two Native Americans. "This is Rains Fall, a great chief, and his son, Eagle Flies."

"We saw you on the wagon train crossing the river at Cumberland Falls. And at the party, you were upstairs," Rains Fall said to Arthur.

"Well, you have great powers of observation," Arthur replied.

"I didn't know you was one of the men that saw us, sir," Lilly said. "I apologize, I only recognized you, Eagle Flies."

"That is alright, Mrs. Morgan. The sun was high and bright that day," Rains Fall said with a kind smile.

Lilly smiled. "So, if I may ask, what brings you three out here?"

"My people...if we even are a people anymore, we fought hard, we've made peace treaties, and those treaties were broken. And we've been moved and punished and...punished and moved."

"I'm sure," Arthur said in response.

"And now I am told we are to be moved again."

"Clearly contravening the peace treaty signed three years ago," Mr. Miller interjected.

"This will lead to war," Eagle Flies said.

"No, my son, it will not," Rains said, putting a hand on Eagle's shoulder. "We cannot fight another war. They have got stronger, and we have become far weaker."

"It's uh, a bad business," Arthur said.

"It's to do with oil. I know it is, but I need the proof. I believe there were some prospectors who were on their land a few months ago who have filed reports with Leviticus Cornw-"

Lilly walked over to the door and banged on it...gently. "Hey, ya rat bastards! Mr. Miller made an appointment with ya fucks! Open the god damn door! Dunna make me feckin' shout!"

Arthur put a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "Lilly, honey, please don't shout. I know how you feel about Levi, but-"

Lilly glared at him. "How I feel about him?! Arthur! He-" Lilly glanced at the three shocked men, then back at Arthur. "Ya know what he did!"

"Yes, and I am just as furious as you are, but please don't make a scene."

"But Arthur, I-"

"Tá an iomarca post againn. Ná tarraing aird." He looked around and then back at her. "Le do thoil, mo bhean chéile?" _[We have too many jobs. Do not draw attention. Please, my wife?]_

Lilly took a deep breath in and shut her eyes. Arthur was right. She needed to calm down. They needed to lie low and ranting and raving was the exact opposite of that. Lilly nodded her head. "Tá, mo fhear céile. Tá an ceart agat." _[Yes, my husband. You're right.]_

Arthur chuckled. "You finally admit I'm right about somethin'?"

Lilly smirked at him and shoved his shoulder. "Shut up," she said playfully. She cleared her throat and looked at Evelyn. "I apologize for the interruption. You were sayin'?"

"Yes, um, these prospectors, they filed reports with Mr. Cornwall and the State Government claiming huge reserves of oil under their land."

Lilly shook her head. God, when did her uncle become such a greedy little fuck? The Levi she knew never would have done something like that, but then again, did she ever really know the man? Apparently not.

Arthur nodded in understanding. "So, you want me to try and steal it?"

"Obviously they can't. And even more obviously, I would be useless. Listen, I realize that it is a ridiculous request, but we're very desperate."

"No, I'm not a do-gooder, Mr. Mi-"

Lilly back slapped Arthur's chest. "I'll do it."

Arthur looked at her. "What? You?" He cackled. "You're pregnant. And I ain't lettin' that asshole near you again."

"Yes but I'm a hell of a lot stealthier than you are."

Arthur scrunched up his lips. "Sweetheart, if you get caught..."

Lilly stared at him with a defiant look in her sapphire blue eyes. "I wilna get caught. An bhfuil muinín agat as mo fhocal?" _[Do you trust my word?]_

Arthur frowned. "I trust your word, Lilly, you know I do. But...if you're doin' this, please let me come with."

"No, ya got that...other thing tah deal with. Let me do this. I _need_ tah do this. Please, mo chuisle."

Arthur sighed in defeat. "Alright, fine. Just be careful."

Lilly giggled and kissed her husband's cheek then looked at Evelyn. "I'll do it."


	49. Lilly's Home

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with?" Arthur asked Lilly.

Lilly was preparing for her journey north to meet up with Eagle Flies. "Mo chuisle, I know you're worried, but I'm sure. You can't postpone the riverboat or the trolley station jobs. Besides, I'll have Brian and James with me."

She bent over the bed and folded a few items of clothing. Arthur held her from behind and rubbed her belly. She stood up straight and leaned into him. Arthur kissed her shoulder. "I'd feel much better if you had one of the guys come with you. The boys tend to run off on their own, Lilly."

Lilly took a deep breath, turned around, and put her arms on Arthur's shoulders. "If it makes you feel better," she said, smirking at him. "Worry wart."

Arthur chortled and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Thank you, mo stór."

Lilly rubbed his cheek with her palm, feeling his stubble. "Any idea who we should ask?"

"I'll ask around."

"Okay. Go ask around."

Arthur smiled and left the tent. Lilly shook her head with a chuckle. That man was always so worried, but she knew he had a right to be. She was carrying his children, not to mention she'd faced death twice in the last three months. He wanted so much to protect her from harm, it warmed her heart, but it was also very, very frustrating. Still, Lilly didn't want it to turn into a fight and then leave things that way. That was like a bad omen with them. She finished packing her supplies and walked out, seeing Brian and James over by Liath. They were all set to go. As she walked over, she noticed their heads were as tall as her waist now. It made her think of the huge paw prints she'd seen when she came out of her grave.

* * *

 _The woman reached her hand up and pulled herself from the dirt with a deep, raspy breath. The rain hit her face and she looked up. Suddenly she vomited a black, gooey liquid all over the ground. As her stomach continued to heave, she realized she had no idea who she was or how she got there. When the woman was done puking, she saw tree branches when she looked up and climbed out of the ground as lightning flashed. She looked around_. _Thunder boomed_ _. She saw three pairs of paw prints on the ground. Two wolves, and ones that had to be a giant wolf._

_"Child," she heard a woman say. Lilly turned around and saw a woman in a red dress with two wolves. "You must go home."_

_The girl blinked and wiped her brow as lightning flashed._ _She tried to talk but found she could not. She grabbed her throat. Was she voiceless now?_

_The woman pointed to the south. "Follow the river south until you see a cliff with tents. Your home is up there."_

* * *

Lilly was startled out of her memory by Charles. "You okay, Lilly?" he asked her.

She smiled at him with a deep breath. "Yes, sorry. I was just thinkin' really hard."

Charles laughed. "Arthur asked me to go with you."

"Oh. Okay, then. Thanks." Lilly put her clothes and supplies on her horse and climbed up. "Oof..." Lilly said and grasped her stomach. "Wigglin' little chiselers."

Charles laughed again. "Babies kickin'?"

"No, I think they're just movin' about. Early in my mother's pregnancy, she'd call James a "wigglin' little chiseler"."

"What is a chiseler?"

"A child. Mostly, a trouble makin' child. And she called me that a lot," Lilly said with a smirk.

A chuckle escaped Charles and Arthur approached Liath. "Be careful, mo grá."

Lilly bent down and gave Arthur a quick peck. "Good luck with your poker game," she spoke, smiling as she looked into Arthur's eyes. "And don't let Trelawny make you lose too much money or I will kill him," she joked.

Arthur chortled and kissed her again. "Very funny."

Charles got on Taima and neared the married colored. "Ready to go, Lilly?"

Lilly gave another kiss to Arthur. "I'll hurry back to my home, hertis rote," Lilly said, putting her hand to his chest. "I will hurry back to you."

Arthur gave Lilly a deep kiss. "You better."

Lilly sat up straight and she looked at Charles who was smirking at them both. "What?"

Charles laughed. "The sooner you both stop snogging, the sooner we can get back, you know."

Arthur and Lilly laughed. "Come on, boys. Let's go."

Brian and James padded along as Charles and Lilly drove their horses off. Lilly gave one last look at her husband and he waved. She waved back and blew him a kiss. He made a motion of catching it and placed it over his heart. She smiled and faced forward, the horses increasing their gait.

* * *

_The newly revived woman ran alongside the river as the storm continued on. The red woman told her to follow the river south but she didn't know how long she'd been running. But eventually, the nameless woman saw the cliff. Home. Was her home really there? She ran faster across the land until she reached the base of the cliff. Could she climb? Something inside her mind, deep down in the depths of her locked memories, made her trust it. So she climbed. As she started her ascension, she heard hooves pounding into the ground. She turned her head and lightning flashed but she didn't see who or what it was. Thunder clashed, then another lightning strike and she saw a man on a horse off in the distance for just a moment. Who the hell would be out in this weather?_

_The girl continued to lift herself, occasionally slipping due to the wet stone, but she finally reached the top. She stood as lightning flashed again, wiping her brow and eyes. She saw tents everywhere. Was she home? She wasn't sure. She snuck over to the closest tent and slipped in. Something clattered as she walked and she gasped with a jump. The place had bottles and clothes were scattered everywhere. Whoever lived there had to be a pig._ _Finally the storm passed and the girl's eyes adjusted. There was a big stain on the bedsheets. Was that blood? She walked to it and touched the bed_ _. As she did,_ _footsteps came from outside and she gasped lightly before ducking into the corner of the tent, holding her legs to her chest._

_"It's Dutch, you in there Arthur?" a deep toned man asked._ _He entered and the woman watched him drop something. "_ _Arthur, you want to come have a drink with us?"_

_The woman shook her head but she tried to speak. "D...D...Du-" but she was interrupted by a man shouting outside._ _"Dutch!"_

_Dutch opened the flaps and walked out. "Uh, Arthur? Where did you go? And..."_

_Uh oh. Did this "Dutch" realize she was not this...Arthur guy? What was she to do now?_

_"Lilly's grave is empty."_

_"Um. What?"_

_Was she Lilly? No. She couldn't remember. Why had she crawled out of the ground? Was she even human? And why couldn't she remember anything? Was she dead? Had she died? What was going on?! The woman stood. She needed answers. She tried to talk. She tried to say Arthur. "A...Ar...Art..." Her voice was barely even a whisper. "D...Du...Dutch." That was easier to say. One syllable was enough._

_"Her grave is god damn empty! And there was this woman who said she dug Lilly up and-"_

_She tried her best to shout. "D...D...DUUUUUUTCH!" The girl scared herself. That was a really loud shout._

_"Arthur, there's someone in your tent. I thought it was you but-"_

_The girl exited the tent and fell to her knees, staring at the ground and taking deep breaths in and out. "D...D...DUTCH!"_

* * *

"So how do you want to do this?" Charles asked Lilly as they set up their individual tents.

"Seems simple to me. Get in, grab the reports, get out," she replied.

"Really? Can you really get in unseen?"

Lilly laughed. "I was taught by a goddess and a mob boss' staff on how to sneak. Trust me, I got this."

"You were taught by a goddess? Who?"

"The Morrigan."

"The Morrigan? That's Adair's mother, right? Was she the one who brought you back from the dead?"

"Yes." Lilly crouched down to get a fire going. She lit a match and put it into the set of logs and dried leaves. "Didn't Arthur explain all this to everyone while I was, um...incapacitated?"

"I think he left some things out."

"Oh. Well, what did he tell you?"

"Well, he mentioned Adair being a goddess, he mentioned you were her reincarnation, he talked about your journal of visions, about you savin' Sean, your Uncle Levi and Mr. Pierce burning you at the stake...I think that was it."

"Ha!" Lilly blew into the pit to get the fire going. "He didn't mention the wolves?" she asked, inclining her head to the two giant white beasts sleeping by the fire.

"No. What about them?"

"They're reincarnations of my dead brothers. Fancy that I would name 'em Brian and James, huh?"

Charles crossed his arms and chuckled. "I did think they were unusual. You think they were sent here to protect you?"

"Probably. I don't know why any of this shit is going on, but," Lilly grabbed raw meat and rubbed mint into it, "it's gotta be for a reason, right?"

Lilly continued filling Charles in on the details Arthur missed as they ate. Soon they were silent, they cleaned up their plates, and both went to bed. The next morning, Lilly got up to see Charles making breakfast. They happily ate and Lilly let Charles feel her tummy as the babies moved around.

"I can barely feel it, but they're in there, alright," Charles said. "What does it feel like to you?"

Lilly ate some of her oatmeal. "Well, it started out feeling like butterfly wings inside. Then it turned into tiny little bumps, like muscle spasms. Now they're rollin' about and soon, they'll be kickin' me like mules. God, I hope they don't kick each other."

Charles laughed. "I'm sure it'll toughen them up if they do, especially if they're like their parents."

Lilly snickered. "Shut up."

Charles and her laughed and finished their breakfast. They packed up their small campsite and headed out with the wolves due north towards Citadel Rock, the place where she was supposed to meet Eagle Flies. It took most of the day to get there and when they trotted up, it was getting dark. Eagle Flies looked at her skeptically.

"You needed an escort?" he asked her.

Lilly rolled her eyes and she dismounted. "My husband insisted I take someone with me. Wolves can't watch over me all the time."

"Heh."

Lilly made the introductions. "Eagle Flies, this is Charles. Charles, this is Eagle Flies, son of Chief Rains Fall."

They shook hands. "Yes, I remember him from the wagon train as well."

Charles blinked, looking a little shocked. "That was you?"

"Yes, and my father."

Charles looked at Lilly. "That's a hell of a coincidence."

"It is," Lilly replied. "Shall we get down to business?"

"There's a foreman...his name is Danbury. He has the files," Eagle gave Lilly binoculars, "in the office above the refinery room." Lilly looked through the instrument. "It's that window with the blind drawn up."

Lilly spotted it. "Yep, got it." She handed him back the binoculars.

"If the files are as incriminating as we believe, Mr. Cornwall's men will destroy them if they know you'e coming."

"Good thing they won't know I'm comin'," she said with confidence. "What do the files say?"

"There'll be a report from Leland Oil Development Company."

"Okay. Well, hmm...I know wagons come in often. I could hide in one of them, but I would risk them lookin' in. I know there's a fence...hmm...decisions, decisions."

Charles snorted. "Will either one be a problem for you?" Eagle asked. "If there is a problem, call me."

"That's okay, I solve problems as I go along."

"What does that even mean?"

Lilly gave him a smirk. "It means I will kill every single one of those men in there if it comes to it and I mostly certainly can do that on my own." Lilly spotted a wagon and sighed. "Welp, screw it, there's my ride. Brian, James, stay with Charles."

The boys whined and Lilly laughed quietly as she walked down the hill. Once the driver's line of sight was away from her, she ran in a crouched position to the back and got in as it stopped and waited for the train to pass by. She stayed low as the wagon resumed its trek to the oil fields. And she waited, and waited, and waited, until it stopped again.

"That you, Al?" she heard a man ask the driver.

"Hey, Tom," the driver responded.

"You pickin' up?"

"Yup. Supposed to meet the early train to Saint Denis."

"Okay. You better get a move on, then."

Lilly felt and heard the wagon move again and she ducked down further. Lilly checked her arrows, her revolvers, and her knives. She was ready for anything. "Morrigan, cosain mé féin agus mo pháistí," she whispered to herself. The wagon stopped. _[Morrigan,_ _protect me and my children.]_

"Alright, I'm gonna start loading up," someone said.

Lilly snuck out of the wagon, crouched, and headed straight for the building as she looked around for people. She got into a small room and pressed her back to the wall, peeking into the bigger room. She saw one man close by, another near the other side of the room. Lilly followed the first one before passing by him, then she passed the second to the stairs. As she climbed, she saw one man on the catwalk with his back to her. She made a bee line to the other side without being detected. The man turned and walked in the direction of the stairs and Lilly made it to the office door. She opened the door and shut it behind her.

"Ah, you're Danbury, yes?" she asked the man at the desk.

"What?" the man asked in shock as she wedged a chair under the doorknob. "What?"

Lilly ambled on over. "Listen, I just need a file from you, sir. The sooner you give it to me, the sooner I can be on my way."

"But I, I can't! Who are you?"

"Oh, that ain't important, sir." Lilly pulled out a knife and stabbed the desk with it, making the man yelp in surprise. She leaned on the desk and smiled at him maliciously. "Leland Oil Company. It's a file about oil by Wapiti."

"I...I..."

Lilly shook her head. "Sir, I've already ruined your desk." She pulled the knife out and pointed it at him. "Let's not stain it as well, okay?"

The man reached for a desk drawer. "Here-"

Lilly moved to the side. "Ah ah aaah, noooo," she sang casually and he removed his hands. "Good boy. Now," she made her way over and opened the drawer, looking in. No gun. "Okay, now you may find it."

"W-What is this about?" he said as he dug into the drawer.

Lilly leaned in and put the knife to his throat. "I think it's best if you don't ask questions, sir."

He gulped. "Yes ma'am." He put the file on the desk and Lilly removed her knife.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Danbury." She grabbed the file. Lilly heard someone outside and Danbury flinched but she aimed the knife away him again. "Do not give me away."

"Danbury? Mr. Danbury, are you okay?"

Lilly narrowed her eyes at Danbury who kept his hands up. "You're okay, ain't you Mr. Danbury?" she asked him, her voice low and calm. He nodded at her fearfully. "Good. Let him know that, please," she said softly.

"Yes...it's just...I'm working...all's fine," Danbury stammered.

Lilly smiled and walked to the window. "Thank you for makin' this a pleasant visit, sir." She opened it and crawled through. "Oh, and sir?"

"Y-yes?"

"I'm sure you'll be tellin' your boss Mr. Cornwall about this even if I tell you not to, soooo...please tell him Lilly says hello. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes ma'am."

Lilly giggled. "Much obliged, sir." Lilly crawled out of the window and shut it. She walked across the roof and looked down. There were guards. Ack, shite. Lilly backed up and looked around. She walked to the end of the building and looked down. Just one guard. Lilly jumped down behind him and when be turned, she knocked him out with a punch to the face. "Well, that was easy," she uttered.

Suddenly she heard a hammer click near her head. "Hands up, miss."

Lilly rolled her eyes and raised her hands. "I just had tah jinx meself."

She grabbed the gun quickly and punched the man in the throat. He went down coughing and she pistol whipped him once. He went unconscious immediately. Lilly looked around and went running through the darkness. She bypassed all the guards without being seen and she eventually met up with Eagle Flies and Charles back at Citadel Rock.

"Did you get the documents?" Eagle asked her.

Lilly patted her satchel. "Yup."

"So you met Mr. Danbury?"

Lilly nodded. "Yes, he was most helpful." She handed Eagle Flies the documents. "Here you go."

"Thank you. I hope...well, I don't know what I hope, but who knows? Maybe these will be of some use."

"I hope they will, Eagle Flies." Lilly mounted up. "Hey, the boys go out and about?"

Charles nodded. "Yeah. Should we track 'em?"

Lilly shook her head. "Nah, they'll find us when they want to."

Eagle Flies looked at Lilly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Lilly said warmly. The man left Charles and Lilly and the Irish woman frowned. "Charles, is it really that bad that I got two wild animals at my disposal?"

"No. It's just unheard of if you're not a Native. And it's not like they're normal wolves. They're your brothers."

"Yes, but he doesn't know that."

"Who cares? You know it and that's all that matters."

Lilly smiled. "Thanks, Charles." She adjusted herself in the saddle. "Well, let's ride a ways and set up camp."

Charles and Lilly rode out for an hour before putting up camp. After eating dinner, they said good night to each other, went to their respective tents, and both fell asleep.

* * *

Lilly woke up in the middle of the night to noises outside. She assumed it was the wolves until she heard Charles yelling as if he was in pain. Lilly got up and opened her flaps a tad to see men tying him up and gagging him. As she was about to get out, another man opened her tent entrance and reached for her. By instinct, she grabbed his arm and twisted until she heard bone crack and a shrill scream as he went down on his knees. Another couple of guys reached in and tried to grab her but she kicked one in the face, knocking him out cold. The other tried the same thing and grabbed his ear, ripping it clean off. He screeched and back up while holding the spot where his ear had once been. Lilly pulled out her revolvers and aimed at the men holding Charles down.

"Let him go." The men refused and she pulled back the hammers. "I SAID LET HIM GO!"

The men obliged and backed off with their hands up. "Holy shit," one of them said.

Lilly's acute hearing picked up footsteps coming from behind so she pivoted at her waist and aimed at a man's head as he was about to pounce. "Who the feck are ya fellas? Bounty hunters?"

"Lillian Morgan," she heard another man behind her.

She twisted around to feel something clamp around her neck. She kicked the man but he barely moved. Oh shit. It was another one of those power supressing things. Lilly was punched in the face and the force of it almost knocked her down as she staggered. Her guns dropped but she wasn't finished yet. She balled up her fists and got into a type of boxing stance.

"Ya want me? Come and get me, ya bastard," she challenged with a growl.

The man approached her with another punch but she knocked his fist away and counter punched. Someone seized Lilly from behind but she elbowed his gut, stomped on his foot, then elbowed his nose and groin in a matter of seconds. He went down as the guy in front of her threw another punch. She went down to her hands, popped around and knocked him down with a leg sweep. She pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the heart, then she pulled it out of his chest. She got up quickly as three men charged her. She side stepped with a twist of her body, pulling another knife out and plunging it into a guy's kidney. She yanked it out as she stabbed another man in the neck and sliced into the third guy's jacket as he jumped back. Lilly got back into her fighting stance then a shot rang out and hit her in the shoulder. She cried out but did not falter.

Lilly turned, threw a knife at the shooter and watched as it hit him in the chest. He dropped the gun and slumped to his knees. She was seized from behind once more so she stabbed the man in the leg, threw her head back to hit his face, shoved off his arms, pivoted about and sliced his neck open. He grabbed his throat and went down. Lilly ran to Charles, ungagged him and cut his binds loose.

"You okay?" she asked, breathing heavily and sweating.

"Yeah, you?" Charles ask her.

"Yeah." She hissed and touched the back of her shoulder. When she pulled her hand back, it was covered in blood. "Shit." Lilly felt something cool and hard around her neck. "Help me get this fuckin' thing off."

Charles examined it. "Hmm, looks like it needs a key." They both started looting the bodies and not only found a set of keys, but notes with her face on them all. Lilly read one out loud.

"Payment of one hundred fifty thousand dollars shall be given for the live and safe capture of Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, A.K.A Lillian Rose Morgan. She is an Irish immigrant. Approach with caution; considered armed and extremely dangerous. Has two giant white wolves as protectors. Suggest going after her and wolves with multiple men. Use collars to subdue her supernatural abilities, which are as follows: Siren Song, Shout, Enhanced Healing, Super Strength, Vi-" Lilly put a hand to her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"...Visions..." She looked at Charles. "No one knows about that except everyone at camp. And that was only a few days ago. How did..."

Charles crossed his arms. "Sounds like we've got a rat. Is there anything else on there?"

Lilly continued. "Avoid harm to Lillian as she is pregnant with twins. Once captured, deliver to Angelo Bronte or...Leviticus Cornwall." Lilly shut her eyes. "They formed a fuckin' alliance to capture me?"

"I thought Leviticus wants you dead? And why Angelo Bronte? I thought the other gu-"

Lilly sighed. "Angelo Bronte is Papa. My former mentor."

"...Oh."

"That's a story for another time. But yeah, Uncle Levi wants me dead. Why join resources with someone who wants me alive?"

"Hey, we should go before someone comes lookin'," Charles warned.

Lilly nodded and they packed up their things. Just then, Brian and James showed up and she scowled at them. "And where the hell have you two been? We got ambushed!" The boys whined and bowed their heads. Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose from annoyance. "Okay, from now on, we stick together. Things just got more complicated."

Charles laughed as he mounted up. "The fact that they understand you used to baffle me. Now I know why."

"They understand everybody as long as it's English or Gaeilge," she said as she climbed on Liath. "Let's get goin'."

The group galloped off together into the night. The trip was mostly a silent one as Lilly had much to think about, except when she told Charles to not speak a word to anyone about what happened, except with Arthur. Charles agreed. When Lilly and Charles returned to camp, it was night time and Arthur was nowhere to be found. Shit. She asked around, finding out he was in Saint Denis doing the riverboat job. Again, shit. So, Lilly went to her tent and waited. And waited. And waited. She went and got food then waited some more. She lit a lantern and tried to read a book, but instead she kept grabbing the bounty note and reading it over and over. She pulled out the iron collar and examined the gem on it. It looked like a ruby but she wasn't sure. How the hell did this thing work?

"You're home," Arthur said happily as he walked in without her noticing at first. Lilly stood up and walked to him, almost tackling him as she wrapped her arms around him. "Ha, I missed you too," he said, holding her close.

"Bounty hunters came after me. A lot of 'em," she said. "I killed all of 'em, but they almost got me and Charles and they used the same neck thing on me in Rhodes and Charles found a note on one of them and, and...oh Arthur, they knew about my visions. How did they know? How could they know? Only people in camp know and that was-"

"Woa, slow down, honey," he said, looking into her eyes. "Let me see this note."

Lilly pulled it out and let Arthur have it. He sat on the bed near the lantern and started reading it. When he was done, he frowned at Lilly. "Are you sure no one else outside camp knows about your visions?"

"Who the feck would I tell?"

"Okay, good point. We should talk to Dutch and Hosea about it. And it seems to me that Angelo Bronte and Leviticus Cornwall are in on this together. That concerns me."

"No shit."

He stood up and walked to her. "Come on, let's go talk to them."


	50. Arthur's Fear

"Hey Dutch!" Arthur shouted as him and Lilly walked hand in hand through camp.

"Arthur! Lilly!" Dutch shouted back from the balcony. "Come up here!"

Lilly and Arthur walked into the house and up the stairs to the balcony. They neared Dutch and Hosea. "What's goin' on?" Arthur asked.

"You two get the deciding votes," Hosea said as he was sitting in a chair.

"About what?"

"We take an insult and scurry off like cockroaches or deal with business the right way," Dutch replied, leaning off the balcony railing.

"We don't need to take revenge. We hardly know the guy," Hosea sternly argued.

"This ain't about revenge, Hosea." Dutch raised his arms a bit. "Angelo Bronte don't mean shit to me. This is about the fact that we are plannin' to rob a bank in his town. A bank that he no doubt protects, a town where his men are gunnin' for us. Before we do that, we need to put him out of commision."

"I disagree. There's always an easier way."

"There ain't no easier way! Now, I know his type. He is a-"

" _You_ know his type?" Lilly interrupted with a scoff. "Did I miss somethin'? What happened while I was gone?"

"That trolley station job was a set up. Arthur, Lenny and I got shot to hell tryin' to get out of there over fifteen dollars a piece," Dutch explained.

"And a quarter. Don't forget about the quarter," Arthur joked.

Lilly shook her head with a smirk. "I did warn you two. But noooo," Lilly shook her hands and took a few steps to the side. "Let's throw caution to the fuckin' wind, disregard what Lilly has to say even though she was raised by Angelo Bronte for two god damn years!"

Hosea gaped at Lilly. "Wait a minute. Papa, the man chasin' you for years, the man who has a hundred fifty thousand dollar bounty on your head is Angelo Bronte?"

Lilly crossed her arms. "Yes. Da didn't tell you?"

"It wasn't my place, Lilly," Dutch explained.

Hosea turned his shock on both Arthur and Dutch. "When did you both find out?"

"Right after we got Jack back."

Hosea glared at Dutch and Arthur. "You both knew this and you still did the trolley job even though Lilly warned you? You're both idiots and you deserve what you got from it!"

Lilly laughed. "Well, when you put it that way..."

Dutch scoffed in amusement. "You do have a point, old friend. But I know his type." He held up a hand before Lilly could interrupt again. "He is a vindictive little power broker who rules by fear." He looked at Lilly. "Is that an accurate enough description?"

Lilly nodded. "Yes."

Dutch inclined his head with a smirk and a self-appreciative grunt. "Now, we pull that stunt in his cess pit of a town, we're doomed. You wanna leave this place? Leave this country? We need that money."

"It just don't feel good, Dutch," Hosea argued meekly. Lilly cocked her head at Hosea. He knew what Bronte meant to her. He knew she wanted her own revenge on the man, yet he was being hesitant. Why was Athair opposing this?

"This is it," Dutch said, emphasizing his words with his hands and arms. "This is the last job that we are ever gonna pull. Before the year is out, we will be livin' fine in a manor with," he motioned to the couple, "a countess and an earl, and we are gonna be plantin' and harvestin' potatoes and what have you in Ireland. The Emerald Isle. Farmers! But we need seed capital and we need to leave. You know it, I know it!"

Hosea stood up angrily. "Forgive me if I can't think too much about the potato harvest! I'm-"

"This is it," Dutch interrupted. "Trust me. Lilly, I'm sure I know where you stand on this?"

Lilly nodded. "As long as I'm the one who gets the killin' blow, I'm more fuckin' motivated than a golden goose layin' eggs."

Dutch chuckled deeply. "That's my ruthless girl," he said with a pat on her shoulder. "Arthur?"

"If it's business for you, then business is business," said Arthur.

Dutch turned to Hosea. "Angelo Bronte stands between us and our future."

"You'll damn us all," Hosea said sadly as he looked at Dutch with a serious expression.

Dutch grunted with a scowl. "Arthur, Lilly, come on," he said, leaving the balcony.

"You better be right about this one," Arthur warned as he followed.

"I am."

Lilly went to leave with the men but Hosea grabbed her arm. "Lilly, a word. Please."

Lilly stopped. "I'll be down in a minute, boys!" she shouted.

"Alright, but make it quick!" Dutch shouted.

Lilly looked at Hosea with a frown. "What is it? Why are you so against this? You know how long I've been waitin' for the opportunity to-"

"It's not you I'm worried about, it's Dutch."

Lilly eyeballed him. "You're worried about Da?"

"Yes. He's changed. And not for the better."

Lilly couldn't deny that. Dutch hadn't been himself for a while now. "I think he's just stressed out, Athair."

"He's been stressed before, Lilly. But he would never endanger any of us if he was thinkin' straight. Think about what happened to Arthur when Colm called for a meeting."

Lilly lowered her head. "I know. That was odd, him and Micah not checkin' the rendezvous point."

"Lilly! Let's go!" Dutch shouted from the ground.

"I'm comin'!"

"Lilly, just think about what I said. Please," Hosea pleaded.

Lilly kissed his cheek. "I will."

She ran off to join Dutch and Arthur. Now she was truly concerned. She hadn't been the only one noticing a difference in Da's behavior but she hadn't looked at it too closely the last few months on account of the things that were going on with her. The wolves, Arthur and her getting together, her death, the prices on her head, going to Ireland, getting married to Arthur, getting pregnant despite her infertility, her newfound gift of switching voices, the visions...the list of troubles and events went on. She mounted on Doc.

"Okay, follow me," Dutch said. They all trotted down the avenue with The Count, Tessa, and Doc. "Thank you."

"For what?" Arthur asked him.

"For takin' my side back there."

"It ain't about sides."

"Feels like Hosea's lost his spine."

"Da?" Lilly asked.

"Yes Lilly?" Dutch replied.

"Are ya doin' this for the bank or for revenge?"

"Both. Neither. What does it matter?"

"But it does matter!" Lilly snapped.

Dutch stopped his horse, turned it and looked at Lilly. "Why?" he asked incredulously. "Why does it matter?"

"Because motives are important, Da! Revenge is a dangerous road to go down and you always said revenge was a luxury we can't afford."

"But ain't you doin' this for revenge, Lilly?"

"Yes and no, but I've got the right to claim his life. He murdered my brother and I have been waitin' fifteen years for this. But you? He only played you for a fool. Which I warned you about so really, it was your mistake that got you into that mess!"

"What's your point?" Dutch snapped.

"My point is that my revenge is justified and yours is not!"

"Really? Who are you to tell me what's justified and what's not?! Who made you such an expert?!" Dutch shouted.

Lilly shut her eyes, took a breath, then opened them. "Da, just listen for a minute, okay? This is not you and you know it."

Dutch scowled and went back to trotting. Lilly and Arthur followed. "We need to hit that bank and Bronte has the police and just about everything else in Saint Denis in his back pocket! He also set us up, and lest we forget, took young Jack! Which, by the way, you threw a woman into a burning house over, Lilly!"

Lilly bowed her head. She knew she hadn't handled that particular thing well, and at the time she didn't care, but now? Now she knew it was wrong of her to do.

"I understand," Arthur spoke up. "We just got a lot of pots on the boil given all the folks who's out gunnin' for us."

"You all seem to have forgotten how money is made and what it takes to support twenty people, let alone what it takes to give twenty people a new life overseas."

"With all due respect, Dutch-"

"Have some god damn faith! I am bendin' over backwards to make a future for us!" Dutch said with anger in his voice.

"I know, but-"

"But! But! Buuut! When did you become so small-minded? If you'd rather we break up the family, go our separate ways, just tell me!"

"Of course not!" Arthur said.

"Da, no one is sayin' that at all!" Lilly spoke up.

"This isn't a prison camp. I am not forcing anyone to stay! So either we're in this together, workin' together to get out together, or we're not! There simply isn't a reality in which we do nothin' and get everything!" Dutch explained.

"I know. You're right. Just feels like we're on borrowed time again. I mean, the O'Driscolls found us."

"Yeah, and we need to move, and soon. Haven't I made that clear? I feel like I'm goin' in circles with all of you! Micah is the only one left with any loyalty!"

"Now that ain't fair!" Arthur argued.

"You are talkin' like John! I swear that woman is poisonin' him against me! I've seen it before! What's the problem here?"

"There ain't a problem."

"You think Micah would question goin' after Bronte? No! He'd say "let's go"." Lilly galloped Doc to go ahead and stop in front of Dutch. "Lilly, what are you-"

Lilly narrowed her eyes at Dutch. "Now you wait just a god damn minute! Are you even listenin' to yourself?! Arthur has been with you for twenty years! I've been with you for fifteen! And you're questionin' our god damn loyalty?! We're here, ain't we?!"

Dutch lowered his head in shame. "I know. I...I...I'm sorry. Both of you. It's just the endless debate of everything is wearin' me down. The others I can take, but when you both are not behind me, it hurts."

Lilly held Dutch's hand. "We're both behind you, Da."

Arthur came up to them and put his hand on Lilly's. "We're both behind you."

Dutch put his hand on Arthur's hand. "Blackwater, Valentine, Rhodes, Kieran's eyes...I promise, none of it will be in vain. We are going to make it."

"I know we will," Arthur said.

"That's right," Lilly said with a smile. "And when we get to Darach ar an gCnoc, we'll fuckin' party 'til we drop!"

All three of them laughed. They went back to galloping down the road and soon they were in the small swamp town of Lagras.

* * *

_Lilly was at Clemens Point grabbing hay when she overheard Micah talking to Dutch_ _, so she decided to walk over and join the conversation._

_"Whatchu readin', Dutch?" Micah asked him._

_"Evelyn Miller, of course," Dutch replied._

_"Heh, that old windbag?"_

_Dutch looked at Lilly. "Tell him about Evelyn Miller, Lilly."_

_Lilly chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, he's a idealist, but then again I'm an idealist too, so in that I suppose we are both similar. However, he is also an esotericist. A lot of his ideas go over people's heads, especially if they ain't much for book readin'. Which is unfortunate because, well," Lilly let out a gruff sigh, "I suppose it's because he's too far ahead of his time, like the women's suffrage movement. You know I had to defend a whole god damn rally of women in Rhodes from men? "Oh, founding fathers, not founding mothers", they said. Who gives a fuck which gender founded America? John Adams was our second president and out of everyone he knew, he trusted his wife Abigail's council the most."_

_Dutch leaned back and laughed. "See? She gets it."_

_Micah laughed. "Women, huh? Well, I ain't too sure they should be votin'."_

_Lilly crossed her arms with a smirk. "Oh, why's that?"_

_"Not all of 'em got proper opinions on politics."_

_"Oh, that's such horseshite! Have you seen the men in Rhodes? Heard them talk? Never in my life have I heard a larger crowd of degenerates and idiots just spewin' feckin' nonsense. We need women to balance that shite out."_

_Micah laughed. "Well, maybe you're right, but what does that have to do with Evelyn Miller?"_

_"The movement is ahead of its time and so is Evelyn Miller. Still, it's not a bad thing to be the beginning of revolutionary ideals. It's gotta start somewhere."_

_Dutch laughed and closed his book. "You see, Micah? Lilly gets it. Lilly, why don't you talk about these things more often?"_

_Lilly shrugged. "I'm an outlaw, not a revolutionary."_

_"But you're also a countess. Your words might have some standin' in high places."_

_"I don't think it should be common knowledge that I'm a noble. Besides, I met Maura Black and she has a better way with words than I do."_

_"When did you meet Maura Black?!" Dutch asked._

_"On the ship to Ireland. Her and Mr. Black are doin' a tour of Europe right now. They even stayed at Darach ar an gCnoc a few days before headin' out."_

_Dutch's jaw dropped. "You had Maura Black in your house? I'll be god damned."_

_"Who's Maura Black?" Micah asked them._

_"A woman's rights activist. She's gonna try to run for the Senate. Do you see me tryin' to pull off that implausible feat?" Lilly asked Dutch._

_Dutch laughed. "Lilly, you are known for pullin' off the most impossible of things, like the day we met." Dutch looked at Micah. "There she was, this little 7-year-old girl, jumping from building to building, scalin' a building by her fingertips, breakin' windows, then killin' eight men who abducted her in a carriage."_

_Micah gaped at Lilly. "Seriously?"_

_Lilly nodded. "Yup. Well, anyway, I should go back to doin' my chores." Lilly walked off to_ _grab the hay again._

_"You know, Dutch? You always had the most incredible way with words," Micah said to Dutch._

_Ugh, what a brown noser._

* * *

Lilly waited on the dock for Arthur and Dutch to return from checking some traps with Thomas. Arthur and Dutch insisted she stay behind on account of the alligators. She begrudgingly agreed. So she stood and waited.

"How far along, uh...?" a woman asked Lilly.

Lilly looked at her and grinned. "Lilly. I'm that obvious, huh? Hmm, fifteen weeks now. Twins. And you are?"

"Congratulations. I'm Agatha."

"Thanks. Nice to meet you."

"You too. Who is the lucky father?" Agatha asked her.

"He's out with Thomas and my father," Lilly replied.

"Oh. Well, maybe he ain't that lucky."

Lilly chuckled and crossed her arms. "Because of the alligators?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. Two of 'em, at least."

Lilly cocked her head. "Two of 'em?"

"Yeah. Two giant ones."

Shit. "There's _two_ of those monsters?!"

"Yes. Only seen one of them lately, though. Figured some big bad hunter got the other."

Lilly started laughing. "That big bad hunter happens to be my husband. We, er, rather he killed a giant albino not too long ago north of Saint Denis."

"You're joking," the woman said.

"Nope." Lilly heard gunshots in the swamps. "Shite!"

"What was that?"

Lilly got off the dock and whistled for her horse. When he got to her, Lilly grabbed her shotgun, checked it was loaded and cocked the shotgun. She went to Arthur's horse and grabbed his scoped rifle before racing off into the darkness while the shots rang over the water.

"You can't be runnin' off, Mrs. Morgan! You got babies comin'."

"That ain't stoppin' me from rescuin' my damsel in distress."

She slung the rifle strap over her shoulder and held on to her pump action shotgun. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the dark as the lantern lights from the shack faded from her vision. She heard guns continue to fire. Lilly went into the water, switched guns and looked through the scope. She saw Arthur wading through the water while carrying a man.

"Don't stop! Don't stop!" she heard Dutch yell.

Lilly saw movement not too far behind Arthur. She took a shot and a giant head of an alligator rose out of the water. "Oh my God..." she whispered.

Lilly cocked the rifle and kept shooting. The alligator lost interest and came swimming right for her. Oh shit, he was fast. Lilly pulled out the shotgun and started shooting, backing up as she did.

* * *

Arthur helped Jules into the boat and looked behind him. He could barely see Lilly fending off the bullgator as he climbed into the boat. "Lillian Rose Morgan, I told you no more god damn alligators!" he shouted jokingly.

"...Not my fault they like me so much!" he heard her shout back.

"Is your wife nuts?!" Thomas yelped.

"No, just a fearless, stupid woman!"

* * *

Lilly started running. This fucker was even bigger than the last one she encountered. And a lot faster. She turned and kept firing at it. "Damn, why won't he go down?!"

"Get in a tree, Lilly!" Dutch yelled.

Lilly turned and ran into the water to a tree. As she climbed up, though, the alligator got hold of her leg and yanked her down as she screamed from the pain. They both went underwater.

* * *

"Jesus Christ! Lillian!" Arthur yelled. He got up and dove off the boat, resurfacing as he swam toward the tree. "Hang on!"

Lilly reemerged, sputtering on water. "Arthur! It's got my leg!"

Arthur swam faster as Lilly yanked out a knife and got pulled back under water. Arthur searched around for her. "Lilly!" he yelled. "God dammit! Lillian!"

He looked around desperately for her before diving back under. He searched but it was too hard to see in the dark. He came back up and screamed her name as the skiff approached. "Did you see her, Arthur?" Dutch asked with distress in his voice.

"No! I...I lost her!" Arthur dove under again. Nothing. He came back up. "God dammit!" Suddenly Lilly came up by the tree and she gasped for air. "Lilly!"

Arthur swam to her and helped her up the tree. "God, that hurt!" she snarled.

Arthur made his way up after her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just...it's healin' now, but fuck, I think that arse-faced twat snapped a bone."

Arthur looked at her shredded pants leg and chuckled. "God, you keep doin' this shit and your whole body is gonna get scarred up. Where'd the alligator go?"

"I don't know. I stabbed him a few times and he let go so maybe he swam away."

"You two okay?!" Dutch shouted from the approaching skiff.

"Yes!" they both laughed.

Arthur felt her belly. "Are they okay?"

Lilly nodded. "Uh huh. They're still squirmin' about."

Arthur smiled, then the alligator popped up and they both shouted in surprise. However, it was not moving and blood was spilling into the water. "Honey, I think you killed it."

The skiff came over and Thomas looked into the water. "...Is it dead?"

Arthur got lower and kicked the head with his boot. It didn't move. "I think so."

Thomas gaped at Lilly. "How did you...how?"

Lilly grinned. "With my smile, of course."

Dutch and Arthur burst into hysterics and Thomas and Dutch helped the couple into the boat. "Your smile, my ass," Thomas chuckled.

Lilly leaned down, rolled the deceased creature over and pulled out her knife from its neck. "I guess I hit a major artery and it bled out."

"Well, let's skin the bastard and get some meat."

* * *

When the three gang members returned, Arthur and Lilly went to their tent. They decided the rat business could wait until the morning. Lilly pulled her pants down and Arthur whistled. "Damn, what a scar."

Lilly looked down and examined her leg. There was a huge bite mark on her calf. She shrugged. "Oh well."

Arthur laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "C'mere and let me fuck you into oblivion."

Lilly giggled hysterically. "Mo chuisle, we both smell like swamp."

"I don't care. My rooster wants in your hen house."

Lilly laughed and didn't resist when he kissed her. "Mmmm, you make a very good argument."

"'Course I do, Lilly."

He ripped her black shirt open and buttons flew everywhere. "Arthur!" Lilly gasped. "This is my favorite shirt!"

Arthur kissed her deeply and slapped her butt. "I'll buy you a new one, mo stór." Lilly grinned and yanked off her outer shirt. Arthur lifted her under shirt and grasped both her breasts. "I love how big these things have gotten."

Lilly laughed then moaned as he sucked on a nipple. "Oh, mo bithiúnach..."

Lilly unbuttoned his shirt as they snogged one another. She caressed his face and pulled him on top of her as they landed on the bed. Arthur's arms enveloped her and he kissed her shoulder. Then he trailed butterfly kisses all the way down to her swollen belly. "Hello, little ones."

Lilly squirmed underneath him. "That tickles," she said with a giggle.

"What? This?"

Arthur blew a raspberry on her tummy, making Lilly squeal and laugh. "Yes! Stop that!" Arthur did it again and Lilly wiggled. "Arthur!"

"What?" he laughed. He sat up and tickled her. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Lilly wiggled and squirmed more before grabbing her pillow and smacking him with it. "That!"

Arthur laughed, reached for his pillow and hit her in the face with it. "Now what, huh? You gonna fight me now?"

Lilly sat up and smacked him again. "Yes!"

Arthur bit his lip and bared his white teeth with the devil in his smile and mischief in his eyes. Lilly mirrored his expression and the two engaged in a pillow fight, laughing all the while. Lilly pulled her undershirt down and chased Arthur outside where they kept up their battle of pillow hitting. Arthur and her eventually stopped, raced back to their tent and engaged in other pleasureable recreational activities. Afterwards, they both fell asleep, content as kittens. Lilly woke up early the next day and decided to go hunting on her own to think since the boys were busy playing with Jack and the newest member to their camp, Cain the dog. She was worried about what Hosea said about Dutch. Maybe Lilly should have told them both about the fact that she'd been a serial killer called "The Fidus Et Audax Hunter" when she was seven. Would they even believe her? Still, maybe it would help Dutch see reason. But was it really any of their business? No. She contemplated this as she was skinning a dead boar and wasn't paying attention to the noises behind her. By the time Lilly had noticed, though, it was too late and she felt something clamp around her before everything went dark.

* * *

Arthur woke up with Lilly's side of the bed empty and he groaned as he looked down at his erection under the blanket. "Dammit," he chuckled to himself.

Arthur dressed in his summer gunslinger attire and went out for stew and coffee. He asked around for Lilly but was only told she'd gone hunting early that morning. He talked a bit with some of the other folks in camp, trying to discreetly identify who could possibly be the rat, though his money was most assuredly on Micah. He had no proof, but it was a gut feeling. He'd checked on Kieran who was healing and was doing better despite his new handicap. Mary-Beth, who'd started getting sweet on him, was more than happy to help Kieran as his guide around the camp. Kieran still insisted on grooming and taking care of the horses though, and Arthur decided to join him and Mary-Beth in that task. Arthur brought over some hay for both of the little herds horses and helped brush them all down, including Doc. Doc was surprisingly fine with Arthur brushing him so that was something.

"Well, guess you might like me now, huh?" Arthur asked rhetorically.

Doc gave a low neigh before going back to lazily eating hay. Arthur cackled and pat the horse's rump before moving on to his next horse. By the time he was done with the rest of the camp chores, it was early evening and Lilly still wasn't back.

"Arthur, where's your wife?" Susan asked. "I have a bone to pick with her."

Arthur sighed as he ate his dinner at a table with Sean and Karen. "I dunno. She ain't back from huntin' yet. Why?"

Susan sighed. "She cut holes in all my petticoats' backs and fronts."

Arthur almost choked on his stew from laughing. Sean and Karen giggled into fits. "She did not!" Arthur laughed.

"Who else would'a done it?"

Arthur continued laughing. "Alright, fair enough. When she comes home, I'll give her a good talkin' to."

Susan scowled before walking away. Sean let out his signature giggle. "Well, glad to see she's back to her old antics, aye Arthur?"

"'Course!"

The day went into the night and Lilly still wasn't back yet. Arthur stood at the end of the boulevard by the time the moon was up, rifle in hand, waiting for her to show up.

"Hmm, still not back yet?" Sean asked as he neared Arthur.

"No," he replied glumly.

"You think somethin' happened?"

"I don't know. Every time I worry, she ends up bein' fine. And every time I worry, I feel a few gray hairs growin'."

Sean laughed and pat Arthur's arm. "I'm sure she's fine, Arthur. Maybe Lilly just went to go think about stuff. Maybe she went way north."

Arthur sighed. "Then why didn't she take the boys with her?"

"Well, that's..." Sean scratched his head. "That's a good point."

Arthur looked at him with a frown. "I'm afraid for her and the twins all the time, Sean. Why?"

Sean sighed. "Because you're a husband and a soon-to-be father."

Arthur shut his eyes. "Maybe...but somethin' just don't feel right."

"You goin', then?" Sean asked Arthur.

"Yes."

"Want me to come with?"

"Yes." Arthur and Sean mounted up and called for the wolves. Brian and James came into view from the tree line. "Boys, track Lilly."

They started sniffing around then went running down the road after the scent. The two men mounted on their horses and chased after them. "Ya know, I been meanin' to ask," Sean began. "Is it just me or do the wolves seem a bit more human than animal?"

Arthur glanced at Sean. "Lilly didn't tell you?"

"No."

Arthur chuckled. "Must have slipped her mind. Poor girl has so many pots and pans on the back burner..."

"Well, what didn't she tell me?"

Arthur pointed in the wolves' direction. "They're her brothers, Sean."

Sean's mouth went agape. "You mean...Brian is the real Brian?! He was my best friend! How could she not have told me?!" he said angrily.

"Like I said, she's got a lot goin' on. Some other things take priority, like those bounty hunters that ambushed her and Charles the other day."

"They got ambushed? Well, obviously they made it out okay. What's there to think about?"

Arthur huffed. "There's more to it. There's a...well," he eyed Sean. Of course he and Lilly could trust Sean. "If I tell you somethin', can you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course!"

Arthur sighed. "There was a note with them bounty hunters. Bronte and Cornwall have joined forces to capture her, and there was a list of her abilities. Including her visions."

"Okay, and?"

"Her visions ain't common knowledge, Sean. Someone in camp blabbed."

"You're sayin' we got a rat?" Sean asked him. "That's really bad. Any ideas who it could be?"

"Micah. I could be biased, but...I dunno. I just can't see anyone else doin' it."

"Me neither. Have ya told Dutch yet?"

"No. He kinda went on a rant yesterday and, we-"

The wolves found an abandoned camp site nearby. Arthur got down to inspect the logs. "Maybe half a day old." He looked at the ground. "Multiple boot prints."

"Arthur?" Sean said.

Arthur looked at him and he was pointing to a boar carcass that had only been half skinned. "That's not a good sign." He walked over with Sean but stopped when he saw an object on the ground. He picked it up. It was Lilly's pocketwatch. Arthur felt his blood boil and his anger rise, but he spoke with a cool and calm voice. "Sean, go back to camp and get the cavalry. Someone kidnapped my wife."


	51. The School

Shadows and voices filled Lilly's awareness as she woke. She felt cold metal around her neck, ankles and wrists. She was laying down on her side. Her eyes fluttered open to see Angelo Bronte staring at her in a chair close by. "Hello, piccolo fiore," he said to her. _[little flower]_

Lilly looked around. Red walls, red bed sheets, red lamps, a red night stand, a red armoire, and a red lounge chair that Bronte was sitting in. She was in her old room. "Why am I in here?" she asked angrily, slowly sitting up as she talked.

"I thought being somewhere familiar would help you stay calm."

"Why did you team up with Cornwall? He wants me dead."

Bronte sighed. "You really think I would let that horrible man anywhere near you or the bambinos?"

Lilly gaped at him. "But...those bounty hunters had notes on them. They said to take me to you or Uncle Levi."

"I only needed him for the collars."

Lilly rubbed the bridge of her nose. "But doesn't he know where you live?"

"Yes. Which is why we are not at home, Lilly. This is just a replica of your room."

Lilly sighed. "Great," she said sarcastically.

"Yes. I knew Mr. Morgan and Mr. Van der Linde could not protect you. Only I can protect you from Leviticus Cornwall. So now you must stay so I can keep you safe."

Lilly laughed. "That isn't your choice to make. You can't just keep me prisoner here."

"You are not a prisoner, you are an honored guest."

Lilly cocked her head and shook the shackles on her wrists. "Honored guests don't get chained up, Bronte."

Bronte laughed and scooted his chair closer. "Lilly, please, this is for your own safety."

"Why do you care so much about my safety?!"

"Because I am your father," Bronte said innocently.

Lilly glared and lunged at him but was stopped just a few inches from him by the chains. "You are not my father! Dutch van der Linde is my father! Hosea Matthews is my father! Arthur Morgan is my husband, and when they find me, and they will, they're goin' to make you regret the day you were born!"

Angelo chuckled. "Lilly, they will not find us. Only I have the key to get down here and you know it."

Lilly shut her eyes and plopped back down on the bed. "Do you even know why Levi wants me dead?"

Angelo pulled something out of his robe pocket. It was her journal. "I read this, so I somewhat understand. It does not surprise me that you have the soul of a goddess, though. You always were special."

Lilly snarled. "That was not for you to read!"

Angelo set the journal on her night stand. "I apologize, Lilly. Are you hungry?"

Now that he mentioned it, she was starving. How long had she been here? If she wasn't pregnant, she would've starved. However, she had to eat for the babies. "...Yes."

Bronte stood up. "Spaghetti? Or would you prefer a different dish?"

Lilly smirked a little. "I really want carrots, chocolate, pickles, salted beef, and ice cream."

Angelo wheezed out a laugh. "Such strange cravings. But...I think I can arrange all that. Anything else?"

Lilly perked her head up. "Cola?"

Bronte smiled at her. "Of course I have cola. I will be back with all that you wish to eat."

When Bronte left, Lilly struggled with her shackles and collar. She was fully dressed at least. Lilly knew there wasn't a way out...yet. She'd have to bide her time. There was no way Arthur and the gang would find her, so she'd have to get herself out of this mess. So for now, she would play nice.

* * *

Arthur sat by the campfire with Brian and James when Dutch, Hosea, Sean, Lenny, John, Charles, and Bill showed up. It was getting dark out. Arthur stood, still grasping his wife's pocketwatch. Dutch and the rest dismounted and walked to Arthur.

"Any idea who might've taken her?" Dutch asked him. Arthur pulled out the bounty note and handed it to Dutch. He read it and raised a brow. "Well shit. Either Leviticus Cornwall or Angelo Bronte."

"Bronte?" Bill asked. "She's got another guy gunnin' for her?"

"No, Bill," Arthur corrected him. "Angelo Bronte is Papa. Lilly's, um...former mentor."

Bill's jaw dropped. "Shit," he said as he kicked dirt around.

"But based on this note, they're workin' together. Does Bronte want her dead too?" Dutch inquired.

Arthur shook his head. "I don't think so. I think we go to Bronte first, see if she's there."

Dutch nodded in agreement. "And if she's not?"

Arthur walked to Tessa. "Then I'll burn his house to the fuckin' ground."

"Fair enough. Hosea, Sean, Charles, you go find out what you can about Cornwall, see if you can root out where he currently is. The rest of you...we're goin' to see Thomas in Lagras. He's gonna get us in a back way to Bronte's mansion."

They all mounted up and Sean and Charles headed to Saint Denis while the rest went east towards Lagras.

"Burn his house to the ground, huh?" Dutch joked. "With him in it?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes but kept them on the road ahead. "Yes."

"Even though Lilly's got the claim on his life?"

"If she ain't there or she's dead," he said, glancing at Dutch, "then Bronte is _mine_ ," he spoke with an angry snarl.

Dutch laughed. "I don't think I've seen you like this since the first day we met Lilly. You're on the war path, Arthur."

"Aren't you concerned?"

"Of course I am but this is Lilly, for chrissakes. She's always managed to find her way out of bad situations."

"Well, it's not just her. It's the babies."

"Why are you concerned about the babies?"

That's right. Dutch didn't know. "She was barren before her accident, Dutch."

"Oh, Hosea and I already knew that. We talked to that doctor later on and he told us what's what, though he didn't say how she became infertile. What does this have to do with Bronte?" Arthur explained about the school, the students, the required sterilization, and Lilly's beating for refusing the procedure. This angered Dutch. "So you're tellin' me this asshole could possibly kill my grandchildren?!"

"Yes!"

Dutch snarled. "Then let's hurry the fuck up!"

* * *

Lilly stuffed her face with a pickle, then washed it down with cola. "Mmm, could you melt the chocolate for me, please?"

Bronte chuckled but did as she asked. "Why?"

"So I can dip the carrots in it," she replied after taking another bite of a pickle.

"What? Is that any good?" Bronte opened the melted chocolate bar and placed it on the tray in front of Lilly.

"It's bloody fantastic! Try it!" She took a bite of vanilla ice cream and moaned softly. "God, that's so good."

Bronte shrugged, took a carrot and dipped it. When he took a bite, he smiled from ear to ear. "Fantastico! Come ti è venuto?" _[Fantastic! How did it come to you?]_

Lilly dipped a carrot and ate it in delight. "Arthur. Ha avuto esperienza con donne in gravidanza." _[He has had experience with pregnant women.]_

Bronte arched a brow with skepticism on his face. "Esperienza?" _[Experience?]_

"Aveva un figlio," Lilly said sadly. "La madre aveva voglie di carote e cioccolato." She took another bite of ice cream. _[He had a son. The mother had cravings for carrots and chocolate.]_

"Aveva?" _[Had?]_

Lilly swallowed, pausing before saying her next words. "Morto. Derubato per dieci dollari." _[Dead. Robbed for ten dollars.]_

Bronte shut his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Lilly took a drink of cola. "It was a long time ago. Isaac was such a good kid, too. And his mother was a fine woman. Not a hateful bone in her body."

"Did you ever find out who robbed them?"

"No."

"I see," he said with a frown.

Lilly took a bite of salted beef. "I'm surprised you don't want to kill my children, Bronte."

Bronte scoffed. "Why would I do a thing like that?"

"I was your student. You wanted all students to be sterilized." Another bite of ice cream.

"Well, it seems fate had a different plan for your body. Who am I to take that from you?"

Lilly stopped eating. "You say that, yet you took my brother from me."

"He attacked me and tried to leave with you."

"And you killed him for it, thinking I would just...forget about it?"

"In time, I hoped you'd see why it needed to be done."

Lilly laughed in disbelief and took another bite of salted beef. "That was real dumb of you."

"Lilly...you were a slave. If I had not bought you, who knows what would have happened to you? I had no idea what would happen to you when you left, I had no idea what would happen after you fell in with your gang, I-"

"Well, now you know. I fell in with the right people."

Bronte smirked and crossed his arms. "Yes, and I will forever be grateful to Mr. Van der Linde for taking you in."

Lilly chuckled and dipped a carrot in her chocolate. "Is that why you set him up at the trolley station?"

Bronte laughed. "Just a harmless joke."

"A harmless joke? They got into a fuckin' trolley accident and almost got killed by the police!"

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

Lilly swallowed. "The accident?"

"The police. I did not send them after Mr. Morgan or Mr. Van der Linde."

Lilly's eyebrows raised. "Are you serious? Then who did?!"

Bronte shrugged. "I do not know."

Lilly suddenly remembered her note. "Bronte, who told you about my visions?"

"Leviticus Cornwall. He has a mole in your group, apparently, but he would not say who."

Lilly shut her eyes. "I fuckin' knew it." She suddenly had a thought. She scooped up some ice cream with the salted beef and chewed. "Oh, my sweet Lord."

* * *

"Hey Bill, you were a sharpshooter in the cavalry weren't you?" Dutch asked as Thomas rowed the skiff down the river.

"What?" Bill replied.

"When we get there maybe you could help with the suppression fire."

"I never said I was no sharpshooter."

"Oh!" Dutch pointed a finger. "That's right! Wh-what was it? The nation's most loyal latrine digger, wasn't that it?"

Arthur let out a low cackle. "Well I fought, and I fought well," Bill said, defending himself.

"So you always tell us."

"Taught me somethin' you could do with learnin'. Them Indians was savages."

"Watch your mouth there, boy," Dutch said quickly and low. "Watch it," he pointed at Bill, "only type of savage in these parts are moonshine swindlin', pompous, inbred locals."

Bill held up his palm. "Dutch, I saw things out there."

Dutch leaned forward. "I don't doubt you saw things, Bill, but your tiny little mind was too small to comprehend what you saw. What you saw was people who lost everything to savagery. Savagery of peasants, failures come from Europe to reap some awful vengeance on God's last creation."

"Can we focus on gettin' Lilly back, please?" Arthur interrupted.

"I'm sorry I wasted my life tryin' to teach you boys, love you though I do," Dutch said begrudgingly. "How you wanna do this, Arthur?"

"Just kill every one of them sons of bitches," Arthur snarled.

They landed on the shore where Brian and James were waiting. They were covered in mud and Arthur almost cackled. The men jumped out of the boat, save for Thomas.

"Now you pick us up yonder," Dutch said to Thomas.

"I got you," he replied. "Good luck to you."

The men climbed up the hill with the wolves in tow. "How did they know to even be here?" Lenny asked quietly.

"It's a long story," Arthur whispered. "I'll explain later."

"Come on, quick. Stay quiet," Dutch said. Arthur and the rest climbed over the wall, then jumped over and crouched down.

"Lenny, Bill, you're with Dutch. John and I will take the left side. If you guys see a shot, you take it. Just bring hellfire down on all of them," Arthur said, preparing his rifle. "Good luck, gentlemen."

They all got to their positions and then the shooting started. "We're comin' for you, Bronte!" Dutch shouted. "Send out every man you got!"

"I'm comin' for you, Bronte!" John yelled.

Arthur took headshot after headshot as God himself favored his victory. Arthur only had one mission as he killed and shot and killed. To get Lilly back. The men pushed forward and Arthur took the shotgun from Dutch to shoot the lock off the door. He kicked the door open and started shooting away as he walked. His enemies fell as he was much faster with his trigger finger than they were. The front doors burst open to reveal two men but Brian and James were behind them and snatched them up in their jaws. They screamed as they were torn apart.

"Spread out and find my god damn wife!" Arthur shouted to everyone. "Bronte! If you harmed one hair on my woman's head, I will gut you like a god damn fish!" Arthur started upstairs and shot another man and he fell out the window. He reloaded the shotgun as he walked. "Lenny, keep that door covered!"

He power walked through the upper floors, shooting another man in the head. The body fell to the ground. "Bronte! Where are you, you son of a bitch?!"

"We're checkin' the rooms but he ain't here! Neither is Lilly!" Bill shouted.

"Keep lookin'!" Arthur shouted. "They gotta be here!" Arthur busted through all the doors, killing any man he found inside, but there was no sign of Lilly or Bronte. Arthur was really getting pissed. "Lilly! Can you hear me?!"

No response. Nothing but the whistles of the police. "Arthur, we gotta go!" Lenny yelled.

Arthur checked the rooms again. He was in the library when Dutch came up. "She's not here! Let's go!"

"But she's gotta be here!" Arthur snapped. "She's..."

Dutch grabbed him. "If she's not here, she's gotta be with Cornwall."

Arthur sighed. "Alright."

They both raced through the hall and down the steps to the back door. Shooting ensued as they fought their way out.

* * *

"Bronte knew we were comin'," Arthur said, pacing back and forth. "That son of a bitch!" Arthur kicked a chair over and put his hands on his scalp. "I'll kill him! And I'll kill Cornwall!"

Dutch got up from the table and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Calm down, son. We are gonna find her. Now if those two got together, at least we know she's not dead."

"You don't know that!" Arthur shouted. "You don't know if she's dead, you don't know if they killed the babies, you don't know shit!" Arthur shoved Dutch's hand off and continued pacing.

"Have faith, Arthur. You really think The Morrigan brought her back and cured her womb just so she could die this time? She came back again after bein' burned at the stake. The Morrigan will protect her, I'm sure of it!" Sean said.

"Yeah but that's not the only thing we got to worry about," Charles said. "Dutch, Hosea, we got a rat in the gang. Only us and people in camp knew about her visions, yet those hunters that ambushed us knew it."

"So you think more bounty hunters took her?" Hosea asked.

"Based on the quick work she made on the last ones, no. Arthur and Sean only saw two sets of foot prints by the camp fire. Whoever got her is good at what they do."

Sean cleared his throat. "Maybe it was another one of Bronte's students."

They all looked at Sean. "Any idea which one?" Arthur asked.

"No. I never met any of 'em. I don't even know where the school was. It was all very secret."

"Did you guys have any luck findin' Cornwall?" Dutch inquired.

"No," Sean said glumly. "He's simply nowhere to be found right now."

Arthur kicked over a small side table. "God dammit!" He picked it up and threw it at the wall, which broke into pieces. "This is such horseshit!"

"Arthur, calm down! Gettin' angry won't help Lilly!" Hosea exclaimed.

"Well what else am I supposed to do?! I can't keep calm about this! I don't know where the fuck my wife is!" Arthur was feeling desperate and useless. He failed to protect her. Again. "She knows better than to go off on her own! When will she fuckin' learn?!"

"There's just some things you can't teach people, Arthur," Charles said.

Arthur looked at Charles. "What did you say?"

"I said there's some things you can't teach people."

"Teach." Arthur suddenly began laughing. "Ah, shit!"

"What's so funny?" Hosea asked.

Arthur rubbed his face. "The school. What if she's at the school?"

"What school?"

Arthur sighed. "I thought I explained this. Bronte had a special school for students, and Lilly was one of them. So...we just need to know where it is. Do you know where it is, Sean?"

"It's somewhere in Saint Denis. I don't know where, exactly, but it's there," Sean explained. "It was all very hush hush, so I doubt askin' around will be much u-" Sean paused then a big smile formed on his face.

"What is it?"

"Brian would know."

Arthur's lips parted. "Sean, you're a genius."

"Of course I am!"

"Excuse me, but isn't Lilly's brother dead?" Hosea inquired with an arched eyebrow.

Arthur smirked. "Not exactly."

* * *

Lilly turned the page of the book she was reading when a man brought in her dinner. He left the tray by her, walked out, and locked the door behind him. Lilly sighed and sat. How was she going to get out of here? Lilly started eating when she noticed a small red mouse on her lounge chair.

"Hello, little one. Where did you-" The mouse grew into a woman and Lilly gasped in surprise. "Jesus Christ, Morrigan!"

"Shh!" The Morrigan put a finger to her lips. "I'm only here to tell you that your husband figured out where you are."

Lilly shut her eyes and sighed in relief. "Thank God," she said, feeling so much better. "Wait, where am I?"

"The school."

"Ooooh. But how does he know where to go? He doesn't know the school is under Bronte's house!"

* * *

It was the night after their first invasion of Bronte's mansion but Arthur was confused by Brian. Why would he lead them back to the mansion? There were more men posted inside and out and Arthur groaned before ducking back down behind the wall.

"I don't get it. Why would Brian bring us back here?" Dutch asked Arthur.

"Hell if I know. Maybe she's here and we didn't check thoroughly enough," Arthur replied with a snappy tone.

"We checked everywhere. We checked all the rooms on every flo-" Lenny paused, then he started chuckling. "You know what I think?"

"What do you think, Lenny?"

"You ever hear about rich people havin' secret passages in their houses?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Of course. Hell, Darach ar an gCnoc has a few of...ooh. You think Bronte has one of those?"

"It's worth a shot. We kill all these bastards and look again."

Arthur grinned and pulled out his revolvers. He looked at Dutch, Hosea, Charles, Sean, Lenny, Bill, Micah, John, and Javier. "You guys all ready?"

"Yes," they all said simultaneously.

Brian and James groaned as if to say yes. Arthur and the rest jumped over the wall and the shooting began.

* * *

Lilly finished her dinner and continued chatting with The Morrigan when Lilly heard footsteps outside.

"Shit, hide," Lilly urged The Morrigan.

Morrigan chuckled in amusement. "I'm a goddess, what are they gonna do to me?"

Lilly pointed to her collar. "This."

The Morrigan stood, brushed off her dress, and walked to the door as it opened. A balding man looked at the woman in shock. "What the he-"

The Morrigan shoved the man into the door, knocking him unconscious. She shook her head. "Tsk tsk tsk, humans are so slow."

The Morrigan bent down and grabbed some keys. She tossed them to Lilly. "Thanks," Lilly said, unshackling the cuffs around her ankles and wrists. She tried for the collar but none of the keys worked. "Shit, must need a different key."

"Bronte has it," The Morrigan said as she looked out the door. "I can't touch the collar, but you will have to find him to get it off. Do you know the way out?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Because your husband and the rest are here already." The Morrigan transformed back into a mouse and walked out.

* * *

Arthur looted the last dead body as they all looked around for secret passages. The wolves sniffed about for Lilly's scent and ended up in the library. Lenny started pulling all the books off the shelves. "There's always a book that opens the passage. We just gotta find the right one."

All the men started yanking books off the shelves when a door behind one of them opened. Arthur was the first one to it, pulled out his guns, and started walking down the secret staircase.

* * *

Lilly peeked into the dark hallway then started to walk when Bronte came around the corner with a gun and aimed it at her. "Ah ah, not so fast, Lilly."

She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Ugh! Why?!" Bronte motioned her into the room and shut the door behind them. Lilly sat on the bed. "You know you ain't gettin' out of this, right?"

"I just might. Your life for my freedom."

Lilly clicked her tongue a few times. "I don't think you would give me up that easily."

"No, I wouldn't."

Gunshots were heard down the hallway and Lilly grinned. "They found the passage."

"Yes."

"So? What now?"

Bronte walked to her and stood her up, standing behind her, wrapping an arm around her with a knife to her belly and putting the gun to her temple. "Now we wait."

"Sounds like a plan."

Lilly sighed and waited patiently for her husband to emerge. It wasn't long until she heard multiple footsteps down the hall. "Lilly?! Where are you?!" she heard Arthur shout.

Lilly went to open her mouth when Bronte shushed her. "Mr. Morgan! I have your wife! Now open the door slowly so we can negotiate terms!"

Lilly heard the clanking of Arthur' spurs and the sound of his boots nearing the door. There was a pause before the door opened slowly with a creak and in came her husband, eyes narrowed and full of controlled anger and determination. He had his revolver up and he walked in with his side to them. "Let go of my wife," he said calmly, gruffly, with a hint of warning.

Lilly watched him in all his summer gunslinger glory and she felt her cheeks flush. Never had she seen this side to her husband before. It was intoxicatingly seductive and she was sure to fuck him as soon as they got out of this. She bit her lower lip with a smile and twinkles in her eyes. "Mo Fear Álainn, tú faigh mise." _[My Beautiful Man, you found me.]_

"Tá, rinne mé," Arthur said. "An bhfuil tú ceart go leor, mo ghrá?" _[Yes, I did. Are you okay, my love?]_

"Sea." _[Yes.]_

"Mr. Morgan, so nice of you to join us," Bronte said with a devilish smile. "Shall we begin our negotiations?"

"What are your terms?" Arthur asked calmly.

"Her life for my freedom."

Arthur glanced at his wife. "An aontaíonn tú?" _[Do you agree?]_

"Ar ndóigh ní," she replied. _[Of course not.]_

"Iontaobhas mé?" Arthur asked. _[Trust me?]_

"I gcónaí, mo chuisle." _[Always, my pulse.]_

Arthur aimed the gun and fired.


	52. The Bank

Bronte shouted in pain as he dropped the gun. Lilly grabbed his hand by her belly and broke his fingers getting the knife out of his hand. She turned, grabbed his neck, and shoved him into the wall while choking him. She neared his face and sneered at him. "You. I was willing to only kill you. Now? I think I'll torture you first."

Angelo grasped at his throat trying to breathe. When Lilly decided he'd had enough she dropped him and he slumped to the floor, coughing and wheezing. She went down and looked in his pockets for the key to her collar and found it. She unlocked it, took it off, and hit him in the face with it. Arthur let out an approving guffaw as Bronte wailed from the hit.

"Serves you right," Arthur said.

Lilly cracked her neck and pivoted at the waist. "What should I do with him?" she asked Arthur as she gazed at him lovingly.

Arthur neared her and kissed her softly. "It's your call, mo stór."

Lilly grinned. "Mo chompánaigh fiach?" _[My hunting companions?]_

"Yes, they're here."

"Who's here?" Bronte demanded.

Lilly looked at Angelo with a menacing smile before she whistled. The wolves came in snarling and licking their chops. Bronte tried to scoot under the bed but Lilly grabbed him with a chuckle. "No no no, you earned this, _Papa_. Just like I earned my beating, and just like my brother earned his death." Lilly tossed him to the floor. "Boys?" They looked up at her and Arthur walked behind Lilly to the door. "Kill him. Slowly."

Lilly didn't have to smell the blood. She didn't have to watch the carnage. All she had to do was listen as the wolves growled and ripped their teeth into the flesh of a screaming man who begged for mercy. Mercy was something she was not willing to give.

"C'mon, let's go outside," Arthur said as he kissed her cheek.

Arthur shut the door behind them as they walked into the hall with red carpet and the red and white walls. Lilly saw the rest of the men and smiled. "Thanks for comin' to get me," she said.

* * *

Lilly quickly recovered fron her ordeal on account of being fed properly. Now that Bronte was dead and gone, they could finally get on with their bank job. Lilly crossed the floor back and forth as she listened to the men talk the plan over.

"I'm tellin' ya, Dutch, this is the way to do this job," Hosea said. "The distraction'll buy you all the time you need."

Dutch sighed. "I...don't like it," he said.

"It's the right plan. I've done the work. I've been in town, looking, watching and...and waiting. I've, I've tested it as well as I can. It's the right plan."

"I know. I just...I'm still worried about this rat in the camp gunnin' for my daughter. Who can we trust?"

Lilly leaned against the door frame. "Me, Athair and Arthur, for starters."

Arthur chuckled. "You're still insistin' on goin'?"

"Of course. I told Athair and Lenny that they're gonna die in Saint Denis. What if it happens with this job? I need to be there to stop it."

"Well," Arthur shook his head. "You can't be in two places at once."

"No, so I think you should keep an eye out for Lenny and I'll keep an eye out for Athair. Remember, Lenny is supposed to get shot on the roof tops so if this goes sideways, try your best to avoid that route."

"And me?" Hosea said. "Where do I die?"

"On the street."

"Jesus Christ, alright," Dutch groaned. "You're sure, Hosea? About this plan?"

"Certain. Well...not certain it will be done, but certain it can be done. And certain this is the only way I see we can do it. I've timed it out more than once."

"Well, you're the expert."

"Look, the bank," Hosea said, pointing to the map. "Karen, Tilly, Abigail, I sent them all. They all say the same thing. There's no more than one armed guard. And the police? It's a city, there are police, but as far as we can tell, the patrols will all be going this way," Hosea motioned north on the map, "when Abigail, Lilly and I cause the diversion and that's the opportunity."

Dutch leaned back in his chair. "What do you both think?" he asked Arthur and Lilly.

"Well, I don't see we have a lot of choice. We linger around here, we know we're dead," Arthur explained.

Lilly shook her head. "I don't know. Somethin' don't seem right about the one guard."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, well, it's a fuckin' city bank. It's got a shit ton of money. You think they'd only have one guard protectin' that money?"

Hosea huffed. "But the girls all said it's just one guard."

"I know what they said, but how do we know they don't got guards in the back somewhere? It just seems too easy to me."

"What choice do we have, Lilly?" Dutch asked her.

"Well, can't we do this at night?"

"We do it at night, there's the drama of just getting into the bank. Can't do that silently. They'll pick us off far easier." Hosea rubbed his face.

"I could do it silently."

The three men looked at her. "What?"

Lilly shrugged. "I told you, I've been trained for sneakin' about at night."

Arthur sighed and walked over to her. "Killin' men at night in their beds is one thing, but breakin' into a bank is another thing. Besides, not all of us is as silent and deadly as you."

Lilly giggled. "None of ya are. You're all a bunch of clout headed ogres," she joked.

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "If you say so. But," Arthur sniffed and walked back to the table. "We got a decent bunch. We know how to fight. Those city cops, they don't seem so tough, as long as we move fast. I reckon doin' it in the day," he put a finger on the map, "with a distraction. If that's what Hosea's sayin'? It's as good a plan as any."

"I, I think I agree," Dutch stammered.

"Every plan is a good plan if we execute it properly. Every problem we had was because we did not...execute...properly. Even Blackwater, from my understanding."

Dutch nodded. "You're right," he said asssuredly and stood up. "Let's rob this bastard."

Lilly scoffed and threw up her arms, leaving the room. "Where you goin'?" Arthur asked her.

"To go get ready," she snapped.

* * *

Lilly dressed in her white and blue feminine suit with a white hat. She braided her hair and stuffed it under the hat. She checked her knives in the belt and in her white boots. Lilly brushed herself off and looked at herself in the mirror. She was ready. Lilly put a hand to her belly and sighed. "Well, here we go."

Arthur walked in with his gray suit, black vest, and dark blue puff tie. He put his hands on her shoulders. "You look sharp," he said with a smile.

"So do you, Mo Fear Álainn."

Arthur laughed and turned her around. "I know you don't like the plan, but we got this. One last job, then we can go home to Ireland, mo stór."

Lilly raised a brow. "You callin' it home already?"

"Yes."

"Well then," Lilly put her arms around his neck and placed a few kisses on his lips. "Let's go get this done."

"That's my girl."

They both left the tent and went to their mounts Liath and Rose. "You two got everythin' you need?" Dutch asked them both.

"Sure," Arthur replied.

"So, we rob ourselves a bank and within weeks we're living life anew in the green paradise of the Emerald Isle spendin' the last of our days as potato farmers?" Hosea asked. "Let's get out of this godforsaken place and go rob ourselves a bank!"

Everyone cheered and raced off. Lilly laughed as they went, barely listening to the banter between Dutch and the rest of the men. "This is it, folks. The last one," Dutch said.

"Where have we heard that before?" John asked.

"What has happened to you, John? You lost all your heart."

"I'm just tryin' to stay real about all this."

""Real". Oh how I detest that word. So devoid of imagination."

"How soon are we shippin' out?" Micah asked.

"Soon as we get a passage organized," Dutch replied. "Train to New York City, then a boat to Galway, Ireland. Then a carriage to Darach ar an gCnoc in Moycullen. God, did I say that all right?"

Lilly giggled with glee. "Yes, Da. Perhaps you should learn the language."

"Naw, I'll leave that for you and Arthur."

"What about the money in Blackwater? We're just gonna leave that behind?" Micah inquired.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "You're always on and on about that feckin' money, ya greedy little piggy. Look, we get this job done right, that money won't matter."

"She's right. Forget that money, it's gone. You talk like it's the only god damn money in the world," Dutch complained. "We're gonna take that and more, take it from the people who take it from us. This isn't just some hick town, hundred dollar operation. This is a big city bank!"

"Right. With security, guards, police," John pointed out.

"Hosea has done his reconnaissance, we've been over this. The plan. One last time! Hosea, Lilly, and Abigail draw out the police, we go in calm and fast. John and Lenny, secure the front doors. Javier and Sean, take the side exit. Bill, Micah, and Charles, control the crowd."

"Gentlemen, let us go ahead," Hosea said.

"How long do you need?"

"Not long. Fifteen minutes or less. You'll know by the noise. Any problems, we'll see you in camp."

Lilly and Arthur grasped each other's hands. "I'll see you when it's over, mo bhean chéile," Arthur said, kissing her hand.

Lilly kissed his. "See you on the other side, mo fhear céile."

"Ride on!" Dutch shouted.

The carriage picked up speed and Lilly chased after it on Liath. They entered into town and Lilly unholstered her repeater. She was going to play at being a guard for the carriage. "You got this, Lilly?"

"I do!" she yelled happily. "I'm just so happy! We're all gonna be so happy! Oh, Abigail, Jack is goin' to love Ireland!"

"I think he will!" Abigail smiled at Lilly. "He's goin' to love havin' cousins, too. Have you got names yet?"

"Aoífe or Cahira for girls, Arthur Jr. and...well, we hadn't decided on a second one yet," she laughed.

"Well you got plenty of time!"

"Alright, ladies," Hosea said. "Let's get this done." They slowed the carriage to a stop at the distraction point. Lilly felt nervous, or perhaps that was the flutterings of her unborn children inside, but something felt wrong about all of this. Hosea and Abigail were getting things ready while Lilly kept an eye out. "Okay Lilly, you see anyone lookin'?"

Lilly looked around. "No." Suddenly Pinkertons appeared around the corner. "Shite, we got company!"

* * *

Arthur waited with the other men across the street from the bank, anxious for the diversion to happen.

"Gentlemen, robbin' thieves...it ain't no crime at all. Folk like this, they stole what this country could'a been," Dutch said. "Stay cool, fellers. Act natural. Wait for Hosea to do his thing."

"This, this'd better work," Micah grunted.

"Looks like there's law over the other side," John observed.

"Have a modicum of faith, John, would you please?" Dutch pleaded. "Soon as we get out, load everything onto the wagon here." A few moments later, an explosion occurred a few blocks down and Arthur looked to see a cloud of dark gray smoke rising into the air. Dutch cackled. "I love that Hosea! He's a true artist!"

Arthur spotted law running in the direction of the explosion with whistles blowing. When they were gone, the men crossed the the street. Arthur felt a tickle in his throat and coughed as he followed. They got to the front of the bank and the men put on their bandanas.

"Gentlemen, let's go!" Dutch demanded. They opened the doors and immediately went to work. "Ladies and gentlemen! This is a hold up!" Women started screaming and men scattered as the rest of the group tried to control the crowd. "Don't do nothin' stupid!"

Arthur held up his revolvers as Micah cackled. "Who do you think you are?" the manager inquired with a demanding tone.

Bill smacked him and pushed him over to the vault. Arthur kept his gun on the man as the rest of the crowd was shoved into the bank office.

"Okay! Now then! Arthur, would you please have Señor Bank Manager here open the vault?" Dutch asked as the manager began to fiddle with the lock.

"Open the vault, come on!" Arthur commanded in an angry tone, his gun still pointing at the bank manager.

The man finished and opened the vault door. Arthur walked in with Dutch. "Arthur, you're with me. Let's clear this out." Arthur headed to the biggest safe. "Forget all the drawers, just get those safes open."

"I need the combination for these safes!" Arthur yelled.

"Tell him the combination!" Bill shouted at the bank manager. "Come on! Speak! Speak or die...now! First number!"

"Nineteen," replied the manager.

"Nineteen!"

Arthur turned the lock to the number 19. "Got it!"

"Okay now, what's the second number?" Bill asked.

"Seventy-two," replied the manager.

Arthur turned the lock to 72. It clicked. "Alright, should be one more number," he said.

"Last number! Come on!" Bill shouted.

"Fifty-four," the man responded quickly.

Arthur turned the dial to 54 and it clicked. "You get that, Mr. M? Fifty-four!" Bill shouted to Arthur.

"Okay, I'm in!" Arthur put a leather saddle bag over his shoulder and opened the safe.

"What did I tell you?" Dutch said. "Would you look at that..."

Arthur grabbed all the bills he could take and stuffed them into the bag.

"Get outta here!" Bill yelled at the bank manager.

"We got trouble!" John shouted abruptly. "Looks like the law!"

"Shit!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Come on, let's go," Dutch said and both the men walked out of the vault.

"Okay." He handed the bag to Bill.

"Think we got a problem here!" John said as Arthur ran to the front with Dutch.

"Come out, it's over!" a man outside yelled.

"Shit, Abigail," John said.

Arthur pulled out his gun and stared in disbelief as Hosea was held at gun point. "Dutch, get out here!" Agent Milton shouted. "Get out here now!"

"Someone must have squealed!" Dutch said. "Mr. Milton...let my friend go, or folks...they are gonna get shot unnecessarily!"

"Your friend? Ha, why would I do that?" Milton asked jokingly.

"Come on, Milton!"

"It's over! No more bargains! No more deals."

"Mr. Milton, this is America!" Dutch reasoned. "You can always cut a deal!"

"I've given you enough chances!"

Arthur saw crows gather around the buildings and he gulped. This was where Hosea was supposed to die. "Dutch, this is it!" Arthur whispered. "Hosea's gonna die out there!"

"Shit! Milton, don't you do it!" Dutch shouted. "I will shoot a hostage if you kill him!"

Milton pushed Hosea out onto the street and the elderly man almost fell over. He walked a few steps and turned around.

"Hosea, get outta there!" Arthur yelled as he ran towards the front door. Milton pulled the trigger on his gun just as Adair jumped down from the roof of a building and landed in front of Hosea. The bullet bounced off her and Arthur sighed in relief.

"Thank God she showed up," Dutch said with a chuckle.

* * *

Adair glared around at the Pinkertons and walked backwards into Hosea. "Get into the building, Hosea," she demanded.

Hosea did as he was told and ran in. Adair stood her ground as the men fired their guns at her. All the bullets bounced off, of course, and they stopped. Milton's jaw dropped.

"Mrs. Morgan," he said. "How did-"

Adair held up a hand. "I am not Lilly. I am Adair." Adair unsheathed her sword and stood with her knees bent and her legs slightly apart. "If you desire the lives of my men, you will have to pay the price."

"And what price would that be, Miss Adair?" Milton asked.

Adair twirled the sword in her hand with a twist of her wrist. "All of you will fight me for them."

Milton laughed. "Men, kill them all!"

The Pinkertons and the law began a shoot out with the Van der Linde gang but Adair was not having any of it.

* * *

Arthur shot men down while keeping an eye on Adair. God, she was amazing. "Kill all those sons of bitches!" Arthur cheered, watching her slice men open with her sword.

"God dammit! I said this was a bad idea!" John shout out.

"Hold them back, I got an idea!" Dutch barked out loudly.

"What?" Arthur asked with a scrunched up brow.

"Just keep shooting!"

"Give me a hand, Arthur!" Charles yelled. "Wagons coming in on the left here!" Arthur started shooting at men on the left side, including those driving the wagons.

"Arthur, are you alive?!" Dutch shouted from behind the bank counter.

"Just about!" Arthur snapped with his reply.

"Get over here!"

"Shit, there's too many of them! Where did Adair go?"

Arthur peeked out. Where did she go? "Arthur, come on!" Arthur ran back to the counter and jumped over it. "There's no way we are gettin' out that door. Take this and blow a hole through that wall."

"Where are they all comin' from?!" Javier shouted.

"Feck if I know!" Sean shouted back.

"This is worse than Blackwater!" Bill yelled angrily.

Arthur grabbed the dynamite from Dutch and raced to the back wall. He placed the dynamite on it and ran back behind the counter.

"I don't know how much longer we can hold them back!" John exclaimed desperately.

"Dynamite! Stay down!" Arthur warned everyone. He shot the dynamite and the wall exploded.

"Arthur, climb up to the roof and cover us!"

Arthur ran back to the now gaping hole of a wall. "Arthur, here!" Javier tossed Arthur a repeater and he gladly took it before climbing the ladder outside.

"Get up there! I'll cover the rear! We'll get them outta here!" Dutch yelled assuredly.

"That we will," Arthur said. He got to the roof and started shooting. "Everyone move! I'll hold 'em off!"

Adair came into view on one of the balconies and threw a man off. She punched another in the throat and threw him off too. She looked at Arthur with a smirk. "Lilly says you sure know how to show a girl a good time!" Adair yelled from across the way.

Arthur laughed. "I sure do! Come and help me out, would ya?"

Adair leaped off the balcony and landed next to Arthur, pulling out her bow and shooting men down alongside him. "What army is this, husband?"

"Pinkertons and lawmen. Probably Cornwall's men too. God, there's so many."

"Everyone, with me! Now! Let's go!" Dutch yelled.

"Get shootin', all of ya!"

Adair kept firing arrows until she had no more to let fly. "I am out of arrows!"

Arthur handed her the repeater. "Here, can you shoot this?"

Adair looked at it in confusion before aiming it and shooting a man in the head. "This is a sufficient instrument of death," she observed.

"Oh my God," Javier said behind her at the amount of men that kept coming. "Come on!"

"Where is everybody?! What is goin' on down there?" Arthur shouted.

"We lost control of the bank...the others are tryin' to hold them off."

"Okay!" Arthur said, shooting at more men with his revolvers.

Adair sighed as she also kept shooting. "What kind of ammunition does this "gun" require?" Arthur snatched it from her and reloaded it. She took it back and went on shooting. "You have my thanks, human."

Javier laughed. "I will never get over this whole "goddess" thing."

Adair stopped shooting for a moment. "Lilly says she will not either. Really, is this such a shock to everyone?"

"Yes!" both the men shouted.

A wagon pulled into view on the street. "They got a Gatling gun! Stay down!" Arthur warned.

Adair peeked over. "What does that one do?"

"It shoots everything to hell!"

* * *

Adair handed Arthur the repeater. "I'll handle it." And with that said, Adair jumped down from the building to the ground. She landed on her feet and walked confidently through the street towards the wagon as it opened fire on her. She giggled from the bullets hitting her.

"Ha! I am actually feeling this!" She got to the wagon and knocked the trigger man away. She got behind the machine and inspected it. "Now, how do I operate this contraption?" she asked herself.

Adair found the trigger and started mowing down men. She stopped and her eyes filled with delight. "Ooooh!" she squealed and clapped her hands. "I like this weapon!" And she started mowing men down again.

"Adair! Come on!" Arthur shouted from the rooftops. "We gotta go!"

Adair laughed. "But I just started playing with this thing!"

She watched Arthur throw his hands up in frustration. "Alright, just meet up with us!"

"Alright, husband! Lilly says to watch out for Lenny!" Adair kept on killing. The Gatling gun eventually ran out of ammo and she frowned. "That was short-lived."

Adair jumped down from the wagon, then jumped onto a building. She climbed up and over the edge.

* * *

"I don't believe it!" Dutch said.

"They knew we were comin', just like your ferry job in Blackwater!" Arthur snapped at Micah as the blonde-haired man climbed through the window.

"Ain't nothin' like that," Micah said as he pointed at Arthur accusingly.

Javier was the last to climb into the room and Dutch reboarded the window. The men walked into the next room. "Well what now?" Bill asked angrily.

"I don't know..." Dutch replied. "I don't." He shut the door behind him. "This whole town is filled with cops."

"Well, how long we gonna stay here? A-a few hours?" Arthur snarled at Dutch.

"We go back to camp...they're gonna get every last one of us. I know they're gonna be watchin' the roads." Dutch paced back and forth.

"Wait, where is Lilly? Adair? Whoever she is right now?" Hosea asked Arthur.

"She was on the Gatling gun shootin' the law when I last saw her," Arthur said, sighing in frustration. "Apparently, Adair liked her new toy and wanted to have fun with it."

Dutch chuckled. "That sounds a lot like Lilly to me."

Sean let out a giggle. "It does."

Just then the door opened and everyone aimed their guns. It was Lilly. They all lowered their weapons and Arthur crossed the room to her, embracing her in a hug. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Lilly looked around the room. "Feicim Athair agus Lenny beo." _[I see Father and Lenny are alive.]_

Lenny waved with smiles, as did Hosea. "I'll have to thank Adair for savin' my life," Hosea chuckled.

"Yeah. So, what do we do now?" Lilly said, pulling away from Arthur.

"I got it..." Dutch replied. "A boat."

Arthur turned around and looked at Dutch. "What'chu mean?"

"We stay here til night fall...then we sneak on down to the docks, we get ourselves outta here," Dutch said as he walked back and forth through the room.

"Yeah, but where?" Bill asked.

"Any place'll do," he replied, moving Charles out of a chair so he could sit. "That's all I got. We leave, we lie low, we come back for the rest in a few weeks."

Arthur stared out the window. "I'm guessin' it's that or we die out there right now."

Dutch stood up quickly. "Exactly! Now everybody...calm down. Dutch sat back down. "I mean, ugh, look at us."

Arthur leaned against the wall and Lilly sat down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder and yawning. "Boy, am I tired..."

Arthur chuckled. "Take a little nap, darlin'."

"Okay..."

* * *

Lilly snuggled up next to Arthur as they waited for night to come. She yawned, woke up, and laid down with her head in his lap, going on her back. "Arthur? You think we're gonna get outta here okay?" she asked him.

Arthur shrugged. "I hope so," he replied.

Lilly took her hat off and scratched her scalp. "Geez, so itchy."

Arthur laughed and sat her up. "Here, let me fix your hair."

Lilly sat cross legged as she felt Arthur's fingers undo her braid. "Abigail wanted to know about a second boy's name. Any ideas?"

"Hmm. No. What's the point? We're havin' a boy and a girl."

"Maybe we should name the girl Cahira. It's a good, strong name."

"So is Aoífe. After that warrior lady you told me about."

"Yeah but Cahira actually means "warrior"."

Arthur finished with her hair and ran his fingers through it. "Either way, she will be our little warrior. Both of them will be."

Lilly leaned against him and he put a hand on her belly. "They keep wigglin' about, the wee troublemakers."

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "Just like their mother."

Lilly back handed his chest with a giggle. "Shut up..."

Arthur chortled and prodded her ear with his nose. "When we get out of this...we are gonna focaíl, mo stór..." _[fuck, my darling...]_

Sean burst out laughing then covered up his mouth. Lilly threw a piece of wood at him. "Shut up, deartháir!" she hissed.

Arthur guffawed before shushing them both up. "The law's still lookin' for us..."

The rest of the time was spent in quiet reflection until the sun went down. Then the group went on the move downstairs with Dutch leading them. He opened the doors and they crept out quietly like skittish mice waiting for a cat to come and pounce.

"Okay, follow me, and keep your heads down," Dutch said. They crossed the street, crouched as they half walked, half ran towards the direction of the docks. "To the boats, come on." They got across and hid behind a train. "Guards up ahead."

"What now?" Arthur said with a groan.

"Just wait a second," Dutch whispered.

Lilly could hear the guards talking as rain poured down on them. "God dammit. This night just keeps getting better, doesn't it?" one of them said.

"Everyone stay down and keep quiet."

Lilly put her back to the train. "I could take 'em both out, Da," she proposed.

"No. We're not gonna draw attention to ourselves by doin' that, Lilly."

"But Da, I-"

"I said no, Lilly," Dutch hissed quietly.

Lilly huffed. "Yes, Da."

"We'll go through the train, Arthur. Come on. Rest of you, follow when it's clear."

Lilly scooted next to Hosea. "How ya doin', Athair?" she asked.

"I'm okay." Hosea pat Lilly on the arm. "Thank you for savin' my life, kid."

Lilly smiled. "You're welcome, although Adair did the hard part."

"True, but we wouldn't have known about it if it wasn't for you."

"Yeah, Lilly," Lenny said quietly. "Thank you."

She smiled at both of them. "I'm just glad you both made it."

"Hey," Charles said. "I think we're clear."

Lilly and the rest nodded, then they boarded the train and walked through it with faint and careful footsteps. Lilly heard a whistle as she got off the train and headed to Dutch with the rest of the group. "Was that Arthur?" she whispered.

"Yes," Dutch replied. "Now stay quiet." Lilly saw two guards walking in Arthur's direction and he popped out from behind some barrels back to the gang on squatted legs. They all walked along the building silently once he joined up with them. They got further down and spotted four guards nearby. "See them?"

"Sure," Arthur said.

"What'chu think?"

Arthur sighed. "Don't know."

"They're watchin' for us," Charles pointed out.

"Maybe...maybe not," Dutch quietly argued.

"Well, they ain't just waitin' there for no reason."

"Yeah, let me think for a second."

Charles huffed. "I'll deal with them."

"What? How?"

"I can't kill all of them silently, so...when they chase me, you go the other way."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"Charles, no," Lilly interrupted. "Don't do it. We'll figure out another way."

"You heard what I said," Charles burst out before going out of hiding and walking down the way towards the guards.

"Oh, I like him," Dutch said gruffly.

"Real brave," Arthur said.

"Yes, brave and stupid," Lilly said.

Arthur chuckled silently. "Shut up, you know you would'a done the same thing if he hadn't thought of it first."

"What in the hell?" one of the guards said as Charles walked by. "Who is...Excuse me! Hey! Buddy! Hey, stop!" he shouted, going after Charles as he went running. "Stop! Stop!"

The other three Pinkertons chased after them. "That is one of the most beautiful acts I ever saw," Dutch said as whistles played in the distance. "Come on."

They all went running to the boat houses until they got to a boat. As the men boarded, Lilly looked at the boat and frowned. Where had she seen this boat before? Just then she heard whining behind her and she turned to see Brian and James looking up at her.

Lilly sighed in frustration. "I told you boys to stay home. Now go ho-"

The boys ignored her and got on the boat. "Hey!" she hissed. "No no no, you get back here!" she said, running after them.

* * *

"What now?" Arthur asked Dutch.

"Well, at least we got some gold," Dutch replied.

"Sure."

"Was it worth it?" Lilly asked. "I mean...Lenny and Athair almost got killed."

"We got enough to get outta here, Lilly. All of us. So yes, it was worth it."

Hosea sighed. "Well, I'll be glad to finally retire, even if it's as a potato farmer."

Lilly chuckled. "We don't only harvest potatoes, Athair."

"What else do you Irish harvest?"

"Turnips," she joked.

The three men and her laughed. "Ah, shit," Hosea said.

"John," Dutch said. "That wasn't good."

"What happened to John?" Lilly asked Dutch. So much had happened, she didn't even think to ask.

"He got caught," Arthur replied.

"Shite."

"I know. So what we gonna do now?"

A man coughed as he walked into view with a lit cigarette. "Guess I'm gonna introduce myself to the Captain," Dutch said. "Give him some of this gold to secure his silence...and find out where we're headin'. How do I look?"

"Like a shifty, no good killer on the run from the law," Arthur said to Dutch glumly.

"Ain't that the truth?" Dutch got up and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir!"

"Hey, who are you?" the man said.

Arthur poked his head out. "Forgive me. A stowaway. Can I see the Captain please? I come in peace."

Arthur sat straight and shook his head with a sigh. He looked worried. Hosea got up. "I'm gonna go introduce myself to the Captain too." And Hosea walked away.

Lilly looked at her husband and frowned. "You seem perturbed, my love. Care to tell me what's on your mind?"

Arthur gave Lilly a soft smile. "Ah, I'm fine. C'mere," he said.

Lilly sat next to him and they kissed. "You sure?"

"Yeah," he assured her with confidence in his voice. "Of course. Just don't like this back step to our plan."

"Well, we been waitin' a few months to get to Ireland with the gang, what's another few weeks?"

Arthur cackled and wrapped his arm around her. "How are the babies?"

"Sleepin'," she said. "I think robbin' a bank wore them out."

"Ha! You crack me up."

Lilly giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. "We should sleep."

Arthur nodded. "Yup." He rested his head on hers and soon they both dozed off.

* * *

"Well!" Dutch said, jolting both Lilly and Arthur out of sleep. It was morning now. "It's gonna take a little bit more gold, but I think we're gonna be okay."

Arthur and Lilly stood up and stretched. "Where are my brothers at?"

"They're runnin' around somewhere. Scared the shit out of some of the crew, but Brian and James are on their best behavior, of course. Now, this Captain, he is a fine fella. A New Englander, from the Cape, the rest of the ship is Frenchmen. They're headin' down to the islands, takin' some Pennsylvania coal. Now apparently we're gonna be able to slip ashore in Northern Cuba in a couple of days."

"That so?" Arthur asked him.

"Apparently."

"Oooh, Cuba," Lilly said enthusiastically. "Oof!" Lilly grabbed her belly. "Okay, knock it off, you two."

"They wigglin' again?" Arthur inquired.

"Yes. God, such...mmm," she groaned. "My back is hurtin'," she said, pressing a palm to her lower back. "I must'a slept funny."

Arthur went behind Lilly and started rubbing her lower back. "There, is that better?"

"Mmhmm," she groaned. "Yup." She leaned her hands on the railing as Arthur continued to rub her back. "Arthur, you spoil me."

A deep chuckle escaped Dutch. "You two are adorable."

"Shut up," both Arthur and Lilly said.

Dutch laughed. "Come on, let's go see the others."

Arthur and Lilly followed Dutch to the other side of the ship. "What are we gonna do in Cuba, Dutch?" Bill asked him as the three approached the rest of the stowaways.

"Hold up for a while, then hurry back...gather up the rest of our family." Arthur sat on a box and pulled Lilly down with him before rubbing her back sone more. "At least we got some money now. Money and loyalty. With that you can do whatever you please."

"So you reckon they'll follow us to Cuba?

"Like Colonel Waxman on a jolly? I highly doubt it. I reckon we hold ourselves to ourselves and this is done and dusted."

"Let's hope so," Arthur said.

Lilly pat Arthur's hand and walked up to Micah who was looking out at the horizon at some dark clouds. Suddenly Lilly remembered where she'd seen the boat before.

"I ain't no sailor, but uh..." Micah stammered and cleared his throat, "that cloud look like good news to you?"

All the men stood up and stared off into the distance and Arthur looked at Lilly with a sad sort of awareness. He knew what was going to happen too. The boat was going to sink in a storm.


	53. Guarma

Lilly felt awful. She was wet and sand was stuck all over her body and water spurted from her lungs. She opened her eyes and lifted herself to sit. She was on a beautiful shore. "Uuuugh, god dammit, Lilly...you stupid feckin' eejit!"

Lilly smacked herself in the head and slowly got up. She knew that boat looked familiar and yet she hadn't remembered from where. She scanned the area but could not find her men or her brothers. "Hello?! Anyone there?! HELLO?!"

She turned around and saw Brian not too far off on the shore. Lilly ran and staggered to him and knelt down. "Brian! Brian! WAKE UP!"

Brian's eyes opened and Lilly sighed in relief. She helped him up on his paws and Lilly scanned around again for any sign of life. She found none. Where the hell was everyone? She was exhausted and severely hydrated. That was not good for her wee bairns. Lilly felt her tummy. No movement. Was that bad? She pat her stomach. Nothing. Shit. Lilly looked into the forest and saw some men coming out with guns. Brian growled and Lilly put her hands up. "Brian, no."

Brian stopped growling but he moved to stand in front of his sister. The men approached her cautiously and one of them held out a canteen. Oh thank God. She grabbed it and drank the water heavily. When she'd had her fill, Lilly knelt down and fed the rest to Brian. It was then that Lilly was offered a sort of red fruit by a dark colored man and she took it. She bit into it. It was a little bitter but she didn't care, it was food.

"Hello," he said.

"Hello," Lilly replied. "Um, where am I?"

"You are on Guarma. My name is Hercule Fontaine. What is your name?"

Lilly brushed the sand off her blue and white vest. "Lilly Morgan. Mrs. Lilly Morgan. Say, uh, you didn't happen to see a bunch of men and another white wolf lookin' as destitute as us, did ya?"

"Yes, except the other wolf."

"Shite. How many men did you see?"

"Seven."

"Shite again, one of 'em is missin'. Well, if you could point me in their direction, I would...ooooh," Lilly bent over and pressed her palms into her knees. "As ucht Dé, I don't feel so good."

"You are dehydrated and starving. Come. We will give you food and water and we will see about getting you to these men you speak of." Hercule reached into his pouch and pulled out a chunk of meat, tossing it to Brian who ate it hungrily.

* * *

Arthur fell to his knees in the sand and groaned. He was thirsty, hungry, and hot. James was as well and he licked Arthur's face as if to coax him into walking more. He barked weakly and nudged his nose under Arthur's armpit.

"Alright, James. Hold on, just...just gimme a minute."

James whimpered and sniffed around as if looking for something. Arthur had woken up not too long ago with James and they'd been wandering along the beach looking for their posse. And where was Brian and Lilly? He was distressed mostly about his young, pregnant wife. She was tough but had she made it with the rest of the group? He remembered her getting in the boat with the rest of the men and the wolves but he distinctly remembered her and the wolves diving in after him. That silly, brave, stupid wife of his. She really was of the heroic stock. Arthur got back up after James' persistance strengthened him and they kept walking. Soon after, though, Arthur collapsed again and fell on his stomach. James whimpered and licked his face again.

He must have dozed off for a while because when he woke up, he felt even worse than before but slightly rested. James was laying next to him asleep.

"Hey buddy, c'mon," Arthur said with a wheeze. James whined and slowly got up. James looked bad. They both began their trek once more across the hot sand with the sun burning bright above them. It felt hotter than hell. Finally, Arthur saw some smoke nearby and he walked in the direction. He spotted his group and spoke. "Dut...Dutch..." he said weakly. "Dutch. Boys...Lilly..."

"You're alive," Dutch said. "Arthur! You're...you're alive!"

The men all walked to him and Sean giggled. "Would ya look at that...ha!".

"Arthur, it is a miracle," Dutch said, putting a hand on Arthur's back. "It is a god damn miracle!" Some of the men helped Arthur to their little camp site. "Here, have somethin' to drink. Have a drink. Somebody give him a god damn drink!" Dutch ordered.

"James needs water, too..." Arthur wheezed out.

"Somebody get James a drink too!" Bill handed Arthur a canteen and Hosea helped James lap up water from his canteen. "Oh son...son, take it easy. We got you," Dutch chuckled. "We got you."

"Arthur looked around. "Where's Lilly and Brian?"

"We don't know. The boys and her swam after you but they never made it back. At least James made it, I'm sure Lilly and Brian did too," Lenny said.

Arthur sat down and sighed as he drank more water. "Well, shit. She better be okay. Brian better be okay too." James whined and cuddled up at Arthur's feet and he pat the wolf with a cackle. "You're alright, boy."

After resting a while, Arthur got up. "So, where in the hell are we?" he asked Dutch.

"We are on the island of Guarma. Javier asked a local. It's an...old sugar plantation island. Second island east of Cuba."

"Well, it ain't near Ireland, that's for sure," Arthur joked.

Dutch chuckled. "You would know, you've been there."

Both of them cackled. "So, what's next?"

"I don't know." James growled and Arthur heard gun clicks and looked up to see men in blue jumpers with guns aimed at them. Arthur and the rest put their hands up. "Well, next I guess we're gonna get shot."

James growled again. "James, hush now," Arthur said. "You keep doin' that, we will get shot for sure."

* * *

Lilly bit into a piece of cooked pork and drank from a canteen as Brian ate raw meat and lapped water from a bowl. Lilly had thanked Hercule profusely for the hospitality, but she found herself thanking him again. It made him laugh. "You do not have to keep thanking me, Mrs. Morgan."

"I know, but..."

Hercule held up a hand. "Listen, uh those men of yours. Are you all in some sort of trouble?"

Lilly stopped eating and eyed the man. "No. Not in Guarma, at least."

Hercule huffed out a laugh. "Troubles elsewhere are none of my business. But I must ask if the trouble followed you here."

"Not that I know of. We were on a boat and we got caught in a storm. It sank."

"Ah, I see. And that is how you all ended up here."

Lilly nodded and continued to eat. "Yes. Are they far off?"

"No. Finish and I will take you to them."

Lilly got up from the beach and thanked him again. "Come on, boy. Let's go find the others." Brian walked at Lilly's side along with Hercule and a few of his armed men. "So, do you speak Haitian by any chance?"

"Of course I do. Why?"

Lilly chuckled. "Mwen pale ayisyen, ansanm ak anpil lòt lang." _[I speak Haitian, along with many other languages.]_

Hercule stopped her. "What else do you speak?"

"Lots more. Started at a very early age, kept up through the years. Mwen se yon elèv kap aprann vit." _[I am a fast learner.]_

Hercule laughed. "Fast learner, you say. You are a surprise."

Lilly laughed loudly. "You don't know the half of it, Mr. Fontaine."

Hercule led her to a little alcove where a fire had been going. "Hmm, they are not here. I think they must have been captured by Alberto Fussar's men."

Lilly sighed and jumped down, looking at the tracks. "I take it he's the rich, bad guy on the island?"

"Yes."

Lilly sighed. "Wait." She saw wolf pawprints. "Oh good, James made it after all. I hope...hmmm...they were scufflin' about. Chained ankles, perhaps..." She couldn't count how many footprints, but the ones next to them were enough. And hoof prints. "Someone was here with a horse."

"That was probably Levi Simon."

"I see." Lilly looked up at Hercule. "Well, if it's all the same to you, I would like a gun to go rescue my family."

"They are all your family?"

"Not by blood, but we are family. Two of them are my adoptive fathers, and one of them is my husband. Hopefully."

"You are not sure he made it?"

"No. He didn't make it to the life boat with the rest of us. He jumped off the side of the ship and, well, I went in after him."

Hercule laughed. "You are a very dedicated wife, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Hercule sighed and tossed her a repeater. "Come. I will help you get them back, if you agree to do something for me."

Lilly cocked the repeater with a smile. "Name it."

* * *

"Who are these people?" Dutch asked, pointing to some locals. Him, the rest of the gang, and James were all locked up in chains.

"Who knows?" Arthur replied.

"Well they got them chained and lashed, but they don't look too dangerous. Excuse me, sir! Who are our new friends here?"

"Hahaha, criminales," one of the guards said.

"What crime did they commit?"

"Insurrección."

"Insurrection? Hehehe, that's quite a word," one of the captives said.

"Cállate, Mr. Fuentes!"

The guard then said something else Arthur couldn't catch. They went on the move again. Arthur was really worried about Lilly and Brian. He couldn't stop thinking about her and the wolf. He looked behind him at James. He pitied the wolf. He was a wild animal. Animals should never be chained up in his opinion, wild or otherwise. James perked up and gun shots were heard coming from the rain forest.

* * *

Lilly aimed at one of the guards and shot him in the head. She saw Arthur and James at the end of the chain line and smiled. They were alive. She counted the rest of her men as the gun shots continued. They were all accounted for.

"I see your wolf made it. Is your husband among them?"

"Yes. He's the one in the white shirt at the end."

"I am happy for you."

Lilly chuckled as she saw Arthur free himself and James. "Brian! Kill!"

Brian went running down the hill and attacked one of the guards.

"For once, boys, I don't think they're shootin' at us!" Dutch yelled in a joking manner.

Lilly watched with pride as Arthur shot men down. When all the guards were dead, Lilly came running as Brian greeted his brother. "Da! Arthair! Sean! Arthur!"

The rest of the men were freeing themselves and Arthur saw Lilly.

* * *

"Oh my God! Lillian!" He ran to her and picked her up in his arms, kissing her over and over. She held him close and kissed all over his face.

"Oh Arthur, I was so fucking worried!" she said.

Arthur kissed her again. "Me too!" Arthur kept his arms around her tightly then gripped her loose locks and kissed her hard. "Oh, my, mmm, my darlin' baby girl..."

Lilly kissed him harder. "Mo grá, mo chuisle, mo, mmmmm, mo ghrá amháin, mmm mo fhear céile!" she gasped into his mouth. _[My love, my pulse, my only love, my husband!]_

Arthur wanted to take her right then and there when Dutch and Hosea ran to her and hugged them both. "My God, two miracles in one day," Dutch laughed.

Lilly kissed Dutch and Hosea on the cheek as she hugged them both, jumping excitedly. Suddenly she stopped. "As ucht feckin' Dé, we got company!"

"We need to get out of here!" a stranger said.

"Now we're in trouble."

"Well don't just stand there! Run!" Lilly snapped, reloading her repeater. "Now!"

"Dammit! Everyone, follow me!" a stranger in the forest yelled.

"He can be trusted, guys! Go!"

The men, the wolves, and Lilly all started running and Javier got shot in the leg. "Javier!" Dutch yelled.

"Get outta here!" Javier ordered. "Get outta here, there's a lot of 'em!"

"What do you think?"

Lilly shoved Dutch forward. "We'll find him later! COME ON!" her voice boomed.

All the men went running but Arthur stayed by Lilly's side as they went running as well. "Ha! So demandin'," he joked. "I love it!"

Lilly laughed at him. "I'll demand some things of you later once we're safe!"

"I look forward to it!"

* * *

After engaging Fussar's men in a shoot out, the gang won the battle as the rest of their enemies ran away. Lilly cocked her repeater and called the boys back. She hugged James tightly. "Oh James, you poor baby...I missed you."

James whined and licked her face. Laughter came out of Lilly's mouth as she fell on her rump and kissed his face.

"Mrs. Morgan," Hercule said to her. "We must go."

Lilly stood up and brushed herself off. "Yes, let's."

Lilly walked over to Sean and slung an arm around him as they trekked on. "Miss me, deartháir?"

Sean laughed and put his arm on her shoulders. "Of course, deirfiúr."

They both laughed as they followed the rest of the group. Hercules began to speak. "Mrs. Morgan told me her side of the story, but I would like to hear yours. What are you doing here?" he asked Dutch.

"I have no idea. Runnin' from somebody or somethin', I guess," Dutch replied.

"Aren't we all. Hercule Fontaine."

"Dutch van der Linde. These drowned rats are Micah, Bill, Sean, Hosea, Lenny, Arthur, and I see you met Lilly, of course."

"Okay. Well, Fussar will be desperate to find you. We must be very careful."

"So, who is this Fussar?"

"A tyrant, driven by nothing but power and greed," one of the captives said. "Our only purpose is to work ourselves to death to make him rich."

"Leon wants the people to stand up to Fussar but most are too afraid," Hercule explained.

"And you?" Dutch asked him.

"I am not from here. I bring things in and off the islands behind Colonel Fussar's back. Let's, uh, let's rest a moment." They ended up on a hill overlooking a large stronghold of some kind. "Down there is Aguadulces. Fussar's compound. The sugar cane these poor men kill themselves farming gets processed in that factory there."

"They're little more than slaves shipped in from other islands," explained Leon. "A group escaped yesterday into the jungle hoping to find a way back to their homes."

"Now Fussar's men are out hunting them down. That old fort, Cinco Torres," Hercule pointed to an old ruin off the cape, "my men and I use that as a hideout when we are here. Come on...I know somewhere you can rest."

"Can we trust you?" Dutch asked the smuggler.

"I don't see you have any choice. I am the only one who can arrange a boat for you." Dutch glanced at Arthur with a look of respect for the smuggler named Hercule and shrugged in a subtle way, then they started walking again. "But, I need something in return. Help Leon with that group of escaped workers and then come meet me at the fort."

They went down the hill and crossed a small stream. "You help us get back our friend and get outta here, we will do everything we can," Dutch promised as he looked at Leon.

"Thank you."

"Gracias," Leon said.

"If your friend is still alive, they will have him at Fussar's compound." They walked up another hill to an old ruined building. "There is a cave hidden below the cliffs. It will lead you right there."

"Thank you," said Dutch.

"The workers are somewhere in the jungle. Hopefully we can get to them before Fussar does."

"Of course."

"Gentlemen, goodbye." Hercule and Leon left them to their own devices.

"Well, if this is a tropical paradise, so far it ain't up to much," said Micah.

Lilly snorted. "At least it's got a beach."

"I'll go scope the entrance to that cave," Dutch said.

"Oh no you won't, Dutch van der Linde!" Lilly snapped. "None of you boys are goin' anywhere until you've had some rest and some food. Especially you, Arthur, you look overcooked."

Arthur cackled as he laid down on a cot. "Not that you look any better, darlin', but okay."

"I'm Irish. We're a fair skinned folk."

Sean giggled. "That we are, deirfiúr."

Lilly shook her head and looked at Dutch. "You sit and rest. I'll go scope out the cave. I'm the only one fit to do so right now."

Dutch nodded. "Well, you're right. We need to relax." Dutch grunted as he sat down. "What a mess. I...am so sorry, boys. Lilly."

Lilly found a rifle and grabbed it, making sure it was loaded. "Don't be so hard on yourself. We all survived. Now," Lilly chuckled and kissed Arthur. "I am goin' to go huntin'. They got boars out here that are good eatin'. James, you stay here, keep an eye out. Brian, you up for huntin'?"

Brian barked happily and James laid down near Arthur. Lilly reached into her pouch and tossed meat to James. He ate like a greedy little pig which made Lilly laugh. "Yes, please bring back food, Lilly," Hosea said. We've been without our most prized hunter for days."

"Ha! Well, rest up while you can, gentlemen." Lilly clicked her tongue and walked out into the forest with Brian.

* * *

Lilly had just collected the meat from a boar she killed when she heard someone behind her. She turned around with her rifle raised. Arthur put up his hands. Lilly chuckled and lowered it. He and the woman made eye contact. Nothing needed to be said as they embraced each other and began kissing heavily. Lilly and him laid down on the forest and started unbuckling both their belts and unbuttoning their pants. Lilly slipped her pants off as she had no boots on and Arthur laid on top of her, sliding his member into her. They snogged furiously as Arthur pumped into her harshly. He scratched his nails down her leg as she lifted it to wrap around him. They moaned into each other's mouths as Arthur went harder and Lilly bucked her hips in unison with his strokes. He bit the flesh of her neck as she sucked on his earlobe.

"I missed you so much," she said. "I thought you were dead."

"Me too," he groaned, his lips vibrating against her throat. He grasped her hip and went faster. "Tá grá agam duit." _[I love you.]_

"Tá grá agam duit," she repeated. _[I love you.]_

They pressed their mouths together and Lilly's climax came, which made her almost scream. Arthur chortled. "Good girl," he said hoarsely.

Arthur soon came after and groaned out loudly. He kept himself in her as they held onto each other, kissing as they did. After a while, Lilly put her pants back on and Arthur rebuttoned and rebuckled. He helped Lilly up and kissed her again. "Oof!" she said, grabbing her belly. "There you are, ya damn chiselers."

Arthur laughed, knelt down, and pressed his ear to her stomach. "Hmm...don't hear 'em...oh, there we go. I can feel 'em." Arthur chuckled and kissed her belly. "Dia duit, na cinn bheaga," _[Hello, little ones.]_ he whispered before getting back up. "Come on, people are hungry. You got enough for everybody?"

"Not yet. Almost. You wanna help or...?"

"No, I should go rest. I really feel like crap."

"Then why did you come out here?"

"Because I wanted to fuck you, wasn't that obvious?"

Lilly laughed at him. "Bithiúnach."

Arthur chortled and kissed her. "Hurry back, mo stór," before leaving her.

* * *

After leaving Lilly, he had a bit of a walk back to the ruins where their camp was, but then he came across a nasty sight.

"Shit, that don't look good," Arthur said, staring up at the dead body hanging from a tree. He felt something hit his neck and grabbed at it. "Ah! What the hell was that?" He walked a bit more until he collapsed and passed out.

* * *

Arthur woke up to being slapped in the face by some guy speaking Spanish. The man kept speaking it while slapping Arthur hard in the face. The man was talking and hitting so fast Arthur didn't have time to recover or speak before getting hit in the face again and again. Arthur groaned with the bit of pain he felt in his cheeks from the hits. The man switched to English.

"Huh? Who are you, who are you?" He punched Arthur in the gut and Arthur groaned loudly as he felt all the wind get knocked out of him. "Huh? Huh? Who are you? Where you from? Where you from?" Arthur received another hit to the stomach and Arthur groaned again from the pain. "Where you from, I'm asking you! What are you doing here? Huh? Huh? Huh? What are you doing here?" Another punch to the stomach and Arthur groaned and almost heaved as he fought to breathe. "Huh? What are you doing here? What are you doing here?"

"I'm-I'm an American!" Arthur forced out, coughing and trying to take air in. "My name is Leviticus Cornwall."

The torturer stopped and directed his attention to another man tied up to a chair. It was Leon. Arthur tried to loosen his ties by struggling but couldn't. The two men started speaking Spanish and the prisoner was hit in the face. Leon whimpered and coughed as their captor walked over to a one armed man chained to a wall. The captor kicked the third prisoner in the stomach and when Arthur started rocking side to side, he heard a "shunk" and the kidnapper fell to the ground with a knife in his eye. There in the window above the third captive was his lethal, knife wielding wife in nothing but white pants and a white button down shirt, sleeves rolled up and a ponytail in her hair. She smirked at Arthur and "tsked" him.

"Bein' kidnapped is becomin' a bad habit for us, isn't it, mo fhear céile?" _[my husband?]_

"Sea, mo bhean chéile," _[Yes, my wife.]_ Arthur said with a wheezing chuckle.

He coughed, trying to regain his breathing capabilities. Lilly climbed in and grabbed her knife from the body. "You fellas okay?"

"Shh. I don't know," Leon said.

As Lilly cut the stranger free, she helped him up and settled him on the ruined stairs. "Maybe there's still time to get to the other workers," he said.

"Oye. I think I hear voices coming from the other ruins down there," Leon said as she cut him loose. "Let's sneak down and take a look."

Lilly went over to Arthur and cut his ropes before kissing him. "Hmm. I don't think I like this bearded look on you."

Arthur laughed and kissed her back. "What? Is it too manly for you?"

"Shut up," she said with an eye roll. "Lilly turned to Leon. "Which way?"

"I'll show you," Leon said. "Baptiste, you don't look good. You should rest here."

"Okay," Baptiste groaned out. "You'll need this." Baptiste held out a repeater and Arthur grabbed it. "Go, go."

"You good, Arthur?" Lilly asked him.

"Yes," he replied.

"Come, follow me," Leon said. They exited the ruin. "Stay close behind me. I know a way we can sneak around."

"Okay," Arthur replied, both Lilly and Arthur crouching as they walked behind Leon.

"Keep quiet and don't kill anyone. If they catch us, they'll murder the workers for sure."

"Who was that feller?" Arthur asked Leon, referring to Baptiste.

"Shh, one of Hercule's men." They walked down the steps of some more ruins. "Quick, hide," Leon whispered.

Lilly backed up against the wall with Arthur. Two men started speaking Spanish. "What are they sayin'?" Arthur whispered.

Lilly perked her head to one side. "Grandfather used to tell one of them Guarma was the island God forgot."

"No kiddin'."

"After a month here, now he knows why."

"What else?"

Lilly sighed. "Nothin' here. Let's go back...they got three months left, then they can go home. Please."

Arthur chuckled. "Will you ever tell me how many languages you speak?" Arthur asked her.

"Okay, they've moved. Come on, keep close behind me," Leon said, and they all moved again. Leon ducked to the side as they went under an arch. "A guard, keep out of sight!"

The three people hid again and there were more people speaking Spanish. "Now what?" Arthur asked her.

"I wish Angel would hurry up, Angel...never was a man less...appropriately named. Devil would have been better. Or "Shit For Brains"." Lilly giggled quietly as they walked along once more. "Yeah, that man sure didn't seem angelic to me."

"Who?"

"The guy beatin' the shit outta yas. Hmm, he's sick, probably enjoyin' torturin' those poor bastards. It..." Lilly bit her lip and shut her eyes tight. "It gets his little wiener hard."

Arthur supressed a giggle. "Jesus..."

"Two more ahead, take cover on the other side of this door," Leon demanded quietly.

"He was raised by rats. Rats? He was raised by the Devil," Lilly repeated in English. "Damn, good thing I came and saved your asses. That man does not sound nice."

"He wasn't. Thank you for killing him," Leon said. "He was a scourge on this island. Almost as much as Fussar."

"You're welcome."

The guards left and Arthur, Leon and Lilly made their way through a curved hallway. More men were speaking Spanish. "Now what?" Arthur asked.

"As ucht Dé, Arthur!" Lilly hissed. "Are ya gonna...oh, somethin' about watchin' a socialist swing, hanging is a tedious business, takes too long...shite, they must be talkin' about the workers."

Leon nodded. "They are."

"Oh...time to see prisoners, see if the..." Lilly snorted silently. "See if the American has squealed yet."

"But I didn't say nothin'," Arthur whispered. "Nothin' true, anyway."

Lilly snorted again. "Of course he's squealed. They always squeal." Lilly kissed Arthur's cheek. "But not you, my love." They stopped at the end of the hallway then moved further into the ruins. Arthur saw the men hanging and he shot the hangman in the head, then he shot all three ropes, saving the men from certain death. "Nice shootin', Arthur!"

A horn went off. "Damn. They're coming from behind us," Leon said. Lilly and Arthur got into cover and checked their guns. The shooting started from the guards and the married couple returned fire. They made short work with multiple headshots and soon it was over. "That should be the last of them.

Leon started speaking to the prisoners in Spanish as the three freed them. "I'm not American, I'm Irish," Lilly corrected.

"My apologies."

Baptise came up to them. "Thank you, my friends. I'm Baptiste. I work with Hercule. We owe you our lives."

"Yes, thank you."

"Our pleasure," Arthur said. Arthur knocked over a chair. "This place! Makes me miss home."

"Take care, my friends," Leon said to the couple.

"Hercule is getting a boat lined up to get you and your men out of here. Just meet him at Cinco Torres," Baptiste explained.

"Well be there," said Arthur.

"Good, good. Here, this is for you." Baptiste handed Arthur some cash.

"Thank you."

"It's not much, but it's the least we can do. Good luck getting home."

Arthur made a lazy salute as Baptiste made a motion with his hand to his chest. Lilly nudged him. "What?"

"I'm surprised you uh, didn't twist his arm over the money." Lilly made an evil grin.

Arthur guffawed at her. "Well, he's only got the one." Lilly snorted and Arthur cackled at her. "You ready to head back?"

"Yes." Arthur walked ahead of her but noticed she wasn't following. "What's wrong?"

Lilly fiddled with her fingers. "Twenty-seven."

"What?"

"I speak twenty-seven languages."

Arthur blinked a few times. "Twenty-seven?! How?!"

Lilly lowered her head. "I kept up with my lessons over the years."

Arthur cocked his head to one side and looked at her in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Yes. You never wondered why I read so much?"

"How did you manage to hide that from all of us?"

* * *

_17-year-old Lilly, with a ponytail, in a black button down shirt and dark red shorts, was laying on a cot in her tent, reading a book in Hungarian when Arthur announced himself at her tent entrance. Lilly quickly grabbed another book and placed it behind the one she was actually reading. "Come in!"_

_Arthur, in a dark blue button shirt, black boots, and black pants walked in and smiled at her. "Reading again?"_

_Lilly nodded. "Yup."_

_Arthur approached her and read the title out loud. "The Philosophy of Socrates. Hoof! That's a bit much for your age, ain't it?"_

_"Nope." Lilly hung a leg over her bent knee as she continued reading. "Somethin' on your mind, Arthur?"_

_"Yes. I uh...ahem, was wondering about somethin'."_

_Lilly closed the books and tucked them under her pillow, then raised up and put her weight on her elbows. "Yes?"_

_Arthur stared at her for a moment before speaking. "About yesterday, at the lake..."_

_Lilly sat up. She didn't like the sound of this. Was he going to back out on her hunting game? "Yes?"_

_Arthur sat on the cot, removed his hat, and scooted closer to her. "Was all of that true? About waitin' for me to become your...your prey?"_

_Lilly smiled. "Yes."_

_Arthur stared down at her body then back into her eyes. "Lilly, I need to, uh..." he bowed his head._

_Lilly neared him and lifted his chin, gazing at him with concern. "Arthur...what is it?" Lilly watched and heard him gulp. She looked down at his lips and bit her own, then looked back at his light blue eyes. "Arthur?"_

_Arthur nuzzled his nose to hers. "Why me?"_

_Lilly felt her breath hitch at the closeness of her quarry._ _"I feel different about you. It's like I...I don't know how else to describe it except you're different than all the rest."_

_Arthur wrapped an arm around her. "Oh, that I can understand. You're certainly different than other girls."_

_"Is that bad?"_

_"No."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yes," Arthur chuckled._

_Lilly smirked evily. "Are you sure I'm not a bad, bad girl?"_

_"Jesus Christ, Lillian..." Arthur pinned her down on the cot and hovered over her. "You are such a bad, bad girl." Arthur leaned down and blew hot breath on her neck. "And your my bad, bad girl."_

_"Am I now, Mr. Morgan?" Lilly said breathlessly._

_"Uh huh. You ain't gonna flirt with any of the guys anymore, are you?"_

_"Oh, I will keep flirtin' because I still want practice."_

_Arthur glared down at her. "What?"_

_Lilly giggled. "What? I still want my play things."_

_"You're bein' too greedy!" he snapped._

_"And you're bein' too sensitive! Don't take it so seriously!"_

_Arthur blinked at her a few times. "So, this means nothin' to you? What we're doin'?"_

_Lilly huffed up at him. "Of course it does, Arthur, but it's not like you and I are, you know...exclusive_ _."_

_Arthur plopped down on her and she groaned. He hissed into her ear. "You are not flirtin' with any other men, not if you want to keep flirtin' with me."_

_Lilly licked his ear lobe and he shuddered. "Well, if that's how you feel, Mr. Morgan, then so be it."_

_Arthur bit her neck and she moaned. "Then I guess this is over and done with."_

_Lilly pushed him off her and scowled at Arthur. "Fine then!"_

_Arthur stormed out of the tent. "God damn you, Lilly O'Callaghan!"_

_"God damn ya, Arthur Morgan!" Lilly huffed and went back to reading her book. "God damn ya..."_

_The two didn't speak until a week later. Lilly was picking herbs when she felt someone grab her from behind and push her into a tree. "Ouch! Arthur! What is the matter with ya?"_

_Arthur pushed his body into hers and held her face. "I can't do it."_

_"Do what?!" Lilly snapped._

_"I can't stand seein' you flirt with the other men."_

_"Oh, Arthur! Stop bein' so jealous! Yer the one who wanted tah-"_

_Arthur put a hand on her mouth. "Yes, I am jealous. You said they was only practice, to bide your time until you could hunt me. Why do you still want them now that you have me?"_

_Lilly's eyes went wide and she grasped his hand, pulling it down and holding it. "I have you?"_

_"Yes, you have me, you stupid girl!"_

_"I'm not stupid! And yer makin' me think this was all just a huge mistake with how jealous yer bein'!"_

_Arthur pinned her arms up and breathed into her neck. "It's not a mistake. Why do you still want to flirt with the others?"_

_"I...I still need to perfect me flirtin'. I feel like I need to be...better."_

_"Better?"_

_"Yes, because if I was better, ya never would'a walked outta me tent! If I was better, ya would'a already tried tah...tah..."_

_Arthur looked at her face. "Tried to what?"_

_Lilly was breathing hard. "Ya would'a...ya want me, I get that, but I want, no, I need ya tah want me so god damn bad, ya canna think straight! I don't want them! I want you, and only you, but I want-"_

_Arthur put a finger to her lips. "Say it again."_

_"Say what again?"_

_"You want me, and only me. Say it again, Lillian."_

_Lilly felt her heart racing as they neared their lips. That was as far as it would go, but she had an ache that needed...something, although she wasn't sure why. "I want you, and only you," Lilly said softly._

_Arthur smiled and kissed her cheek. "As long as you promise to feel that way with me, and only me, then you can do whatever you want."_

_"I promise. You will always be my favorite, Arthur, I promise."_

_They hugged each other and Lilly breathed in his scent of pine trees._


	54. The Blind Man

It was the next day and Lilly woke up with Arthur sitting next to her. He was looking at her with a grin. "What? Somethin' on my face?" she asked him.

"No. Just...I was watchin' you sleep," he replied. "You look peaceful when you sleep."

"Heh. Riiight."

A chuckle made his chest bounce and he kissed her. "This beard really does get in the way, don't it?"

"Yes, but I could get used to it."

"Ha! How so?"

"Well, you're used to my honeypot hair, aren't ya?"

A loud cackle escaped Arthur's lips and he kissed her again. "I _love_ your honeypot hair. Now," he slapped her butt softly. "I am gonna go get Javier with Dutch."

Lilly sat up with a groan. "You need me to come with?"

Arthur pushed her back down. "No. You rest. You've done a lot of work since we got stranded here."

"This is true, but I'd like to come with you just the same."

Arthur scoffed and shook his head, then put a hand to her belly. "Tá tú torrach. Ní mór duit scíth a ligean. Déan amhlaidh dom le do thoil." _[You are pregnant. You must relax. Please do so for me.]_

Lilly huffed at him. Arthur had a good point. She should be relaxing because she was pregnant, but she hated not doing anything. "But I still need to go huntin'."

"Nope, Hosea's got that covered."

Lilly looked around. "He's gone already?"

"Yes. Now would you please just take a bit of the day off?"

Lilly rolled her eyes and puffed out a deep breath. "Oh fine..." she growled and laid back down. "I could use some more shut eye, I guess."

Arthur kissed her forehead, then her stomach. "Good. I'll be back soon." He got up and addressed the men. "Let her sleep a bit before you all head to that old fort on the cape."

They all agreed. Lilly rolled over on her side and yawned. She really was tired. She kept her dark eyes on Arthur as he left the camp, then she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Lilly awoke to Sean shaking her a little "Lilly, wake up."

"Mmm?" she yawned, sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What's goin' on?"

"We're ready to go."

"Oh, okay." Lilly groaned as she got up and rubbed her back. "God, that cot is horrible to sleep on. I miss my bed."

They all gathered up their things and made the journey to Cinco Torres to meet up with Hercule. When they got there, Lilly saw Dutch but not Arthur. "Hey, where's Arthur?"

"He's on the way," replied Dutch.

"You guys get Javier?"

"Yes."

"Good." Lilly went and sat down on a box, scratching Brian and James behind the ears. "So, should we get started?"

"Alright. Now," Dutch turned to Hercule, "we did what you asked.

"It's like I said," Hercule began. "Fussar knows who you are and knows the prices on your heads, including hers. It's a big problem."

"I see," Dutch said.

Lilly blinked a few times. "Wait, I _still_ have a price on my head? We killed Bronte, what the fuck!"

"Don't forget about your dear old Uncle Levi," Arthur said as he walked in. "Remember the Pinkertons said he put one back on?"

Lilly sighed. "Oh yeah, now I remember."

That all seemed so long ago. Lilly was having a hard time remembering things these days. She didn't know if it was her pregnancy making her forgetful or just events being so overwhelmingly stressful that she just couldn't keep up, or both. Either way, she was stressed and each day she felt more of her will being crushed by strain. Not that she was showing it, but now that she was thinking of it, Lilly was so perturbed that she may break in half.

"Anyway, if we can silence Fussar, then I can help you escape before anyone has time to get here from America. That way, we all get what we want," Hercule explained casually.

"We want to get the boat you promised us," Dutch spoke in frustration.

"And you will. But you have found yourself in the middle of a war, my friend. Fussar has called in the navy from Cuba. There's no way a boat could leave right now."

"Hercule, Hercule, s'il vous plaît! Vif, vif!" a man said as he came in. _[Please! Come, come!]_

"Come, follow me." Hercule and the rest of the group got up, then they followed him outside. "So now we have a real problem. This must be the boat he called in from Cuba."

"That's a god damn warship," Bill said.

"Yep. Certainly looks like it," Hosea agreed resentfully.

The ship was shooting cannons near them and the building shook. "You kinda have to hand it to this feller," Micah commented, sounding impressed.

"So I guess great minds think alike," Dutch said.

"So what now?" Arthur asked.

"We fight or we run," replied Hercule.

"Any of you feel like runnin'?" asked Dutch loudly. When there was no answer, Dutch spoke again. "So what do we do?"

Lilly sighed. "Well, you boys could take care of the ground troops, I'll go take care of that ship."

Hercule looked at her in confusion. "You? That is a navy warship! How are you going to-"

Light enveloped Lilly and when it disappeared, Adair was standing in her place.

* * *

Hercule backed away from Adair as she walked to the edge. "Gentlemen, I am about to do something you may find unbelievable."

Sean giggled. "Oh, as if you could surprise any of us anymore."

"What is going on?" Hercule demanded.

Dutch let out a deep chuckle. "Hercule, this is Adair. She is a goddess of war, hunting, and death."

Adair took a step up and stretched out her back. Bones crunched and punctured through the skin of her back and the men took a couple steps back. Large and red feathered wings grew and unfurled from her shoulder blades and Adair gave them a flap, a satisfied groan escaping her lips. "I haven't done that in _years!"_

"Okay, I stand corrected," Sean said. "That is unbelievable."

"How did you do that?!" Lenny exclaimed.

"My mother is a shapeshifter. Her gifts were passed down to me," Adair explained, as if this was all normal for everyone.

"I'll be damned."

More cannon balls shook the fort and Adair looked at everyone. "What are you waiting for? Let us begin."

Adair jumped from the ledge and with another flap of her wings, she ascended into the air towards the ocean.

* * *

Arthur started laughing. "My wife is just full of surprises, ain't she?" Suddenly he began coughing and hacking. He covered his mouth and turned away from people.

"You alright Arthur?" Dutch asked him. Arthur stopped and looked at his hands. There was some blood on them. "Arthur, are you okay?" Dutch asked again.

Arthur quickly wiped his hands on his pants, then wiped his mouth and beard before turning around. "I'm fine. Sorry. I think a bug got down my throat."

* * *

Adair landed on the ship, surprising quite a bit of the crew. Her wings crunched and grew smaller, furling into her back. People stared at her in shock.

 _"Say, "BOO!"_ Lilly said in Adair's head.

"What?" Adair asked, a confused look on her face.

_"Just do it! And look scary!"_

Adair sighed. "BOO!" her voice clapped, her arms outstretched and her teeth bared. The men went running and some even jumped off the ship. Lilly giggled into a fit in Adair's head.

_"That was fuckin' hilarious!"_

Adair nodded in approval. "This pleases me."

_"Me too!"_

Adair balled up a fist and started punching holes into the ship. "What purpose are we trying to accomplish here, my vessel?"

_"Blow up the ship."_

"How do you propose we do that?" Another hole was created and Adair began pulling the metal up.

_"Find the engine room and sabotage it."_

"What is an engine room?"

 _"As ucht Dé_ _, I'll do it!"_ Adair shifted back into Lilly and she jumped down the huge hole in the ship, landing on a metallic catwalk. "Now, where is that engine room?"

* * *

"I'm gonna need your help, my friend," Hercule said to Arthur who was shooting down Fussar's men with a scoped rolling block rifle.

"Sure," Arthur replied. He reloaded and went to the cannon that was merely sitting there not being used. Arthur and Hercule started to push. "Damn, this is heavy."

Arthur grunted and groamed as they pushed the cannon to the ledge. "Damn, there's a whole lot more of them turnin' up!" Bill yelled.

"This don't look good, fellers! Micah shouted.

Suddenly the warship began exploding. Arthur could see Adair jump from the ship and fly back to them. She made a bee line for the beach and landed, tearing into the crowd of men as Brian and James joined her. Hercule looked at the ship and smiled. "A goddess of war, hunting and death, huh?" he asked Arthur.

"Yes," Arthur replied with pride in his voice. "There's more than one in Ireland, apparently." Arthur, the other men, Adair, Brian and James attacked with no mercy. The battle was fought long and hard, but soon there were no enemies left and Arthur saw Adair change back into Lilly. He ran down to her on the beach and twirled her around in his arms. "You were amazin', baby girl!" He looked down at the boys. "So were you, fellers!"

Lilly laughed. "Shush, Adair did most of the work on that ship."

"How'd you get the ship to explode?"

"I uh...kinda sabotaged the engine room. Mostly by beatin' the livin' shite out of everythin'."

Arthur kissed her and laughed. "You are brilliant, woman!"

Lilly smiled and looked down at his shirt. "Hey, you got blood on your shirt. Are you injured?"

Arthur grasped the cloth and frowned. "Oh, uh, that ain't my blood, darlin'." Arthur looked into her eyes. She didn't seem to suspect anything and Arthur was hoping it was just a one time thing.

"That was quite some shootin', boys!" Dutch exclaimed proudly.

"Thank you," said Hercule.

"What now?"

"Oh, they'll be back," Hercule said as he shook Dutch's hand, "but I found a boat for you and he should be arriving on the dock anytime now."

"Great. Micah, Lenny, go meet with the captain. If he's amenable and discrete, tell him we'll be ready to set sail soon. Bill, Sean, come help me collect poor old Javier. Rest of you, meet us at the boat. Hercule, it was a great pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

Lilly shut her eyes and took a deep breath. "I think I need another nap."

* * *

Arthur walked with Lilly cradled in his arms towards the boat with Brian and James at his side. Lilly felt very tired after shifting, and she usually was that way after Adair left. Hosea and Sean came running. "Is she okay?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, she's just tired," Arthur said. "She gets like that whenever, well, you know..."

"Adair?" Hosea asked.

"Yeah."

Lilly grumbled. "Arthur, I really need...hey, Javier!" she said as she spotted him and waved. "Qué bueno verte, amigo." _[Good to see you, friend!]_

Javier laughed. "Y tu, amiga." _[You too, friend!]_

Arthur neared Javier and sighed. "Glad to have you back, Javier," Arthur said.

"Thanks. I thought I was dead for sure," Javier responded.

"Boys, we got a real problem," Micah said as he and Lenny walked down the hill towards the group. "Nice Mr. Fussar don't want us goin' nowhere. He knows just who we are, if he can keep us here for a few more days, well..."

"And what about the captain of the ship here?" Dutch asked Micah.

"They got him tied up," Lenny replied. "There were guards everywhere."

"Yeah, and got us surrounded with gun positions so when we try to sail out, he's gonna blow holes in us," Micah explained.

"This fella is really beginnin' to try my patience," Dutch said in frustration.

"And he ain't even had you tortured yet," Arthur pointed out.

"Heh, I like the man's style," Micah said with a hissy snicker. "He's thorough, nasty and viiindictive. However, in this instance, I don't see we got any alternative but we go and free our friendly captain and," Micah pulled out some dynamite, "destroy the artillery."

"For once, I agree with you."

"Hercule?" Dutch inquired.

"Oh, I'll fight Alberto Fussar everyday I can."

"Alright. Bill, you're gonna guard Javier on the ship here. Hosea, you stay with Lilly. She's obviously worn out from the fight."

Lilly groaned. "Da, I can still-"

"Oh Lilly, we already been through this. You need to rest," Arthur said. "If shiftin' is strainin' you, it might be strainin' the babies, too." Arthur started walking on the boat with Hosea, Brian and James in tow. "Just let me get her settled, Dutch, then we'll go!"

"Alright, Arthur!"

Arthur got below deck and found a small bedroom for Lilly to sleep in. He laid her down on the bed and covered her up, kissing her softly. "Take a nap. We'll be back before you know it."

"Okay," Lilly said. "Stubborn mule."

"Ha! Difficult bitch."

"Arsehole," she giggled.

"Trollop." He kissed her again with a smile. "Sleep."

Arthur left them both and Hosea found a chair to sit in as the boys laid down near his feet and the bed. "So, you ready to go back home?"

"Obviously," Lilly replied with a groan.

"Good. Hey, can Adair hear me in there?"

Lilly blinked a few times. "I dunno. I can talk to her when she's out, but she-"

 _"Yes, I can hear your Athair, Lilly,"_ said Adair in her head.

"Oh. Yep. She's listenin'."

Hosea laughed and put a hand on Lilly's. "I wanted to thank you for savin' my life, Adair. Both of you, thank you."

"Aww, Da," Lilly said as she sat up and hugged the man.

 _"You're welcome,"_ Adair said.

"She says you're welcome."

* * *

 _Trees. A cave in the snow. A woman's hands going into the ground and the grass dying._ _Arthur coughing and hacking as he falls off his horse._ _A buck on the plains. Shady Belle abandoned. Horses running. Leviticus Cornwall being shot. Brutus and Mr. Pierce being torn apart by Brian and James. Bonds. Eagle Flies and Rains Fall in their home of Wapiti. A nun. The camp by a cave. Fire._ _A rat scurrying about in camp._ _A snake whispering in Dutch's ear._

Lilly opened her eyes and sat up. Brian and James were looking at her as if they were concerned. She swung her legs over the bed and groaned, holding her head in her hands. Why was she still getting visions about Arthur being sick? Was he going to get sick regardless of what she could do to stop it? Lilly had no idea. And what about her other visions? She went over them in her head. Lilly assumed they were going to move camp somewhere, but where exactly that was, she had no clue. Who was the woman killing the land? Would Leviticus, Brutus and Joseph Pierce truly meet their fates? She hoped so. They all tried to kill her. Well, they did kill her but she didn't stay dead. And the rat. Who was the god damn rat? She wish she knew. And that snake...what was that about? Lilly realized it was day time and the boat was moving, so she got up from the bed and walked out of the cabin with the boys. They climbed up the stairs and Lilly saw the men talking near the front of the ship.

"...slip ashore, one by one, and find out what's what," Dutch was saying.

"And we don't cut and run now? Head back to Blackwater," Micah insisted.

"Why do you keep insistin' on goin' back there?" Hosea snapped. "We'd be worse off goin' there than back to Lemoyne."

Lilly tilted her head to one side. "What about Lemoyne?"

The men all looked at her. "Your "Da" thinks we should be goin' back to Lemoyne," Bill said.

Lilly's lips parted and her head jerked to the side. "Well shit, Da. That's a _great_ plan," she said sarcastically. "Why, oh why, are we goin' back to that godforsaken, inbred breedin', moonshine makin', family feudin', sorry cesspool of a feckin' state filled with all sorts of Bronte's, Cornwall's, and other rich and filthy degenerates?"

The choice of words brought out guffaws and snickers from the men. "Because the last thing they'll be thinkin' is for us to turn up," explained Dutch.

"We been on the run for a while now, and it feels like," a frustrated sigh escaped from Arthur, "like our luck has turned, you know? And it ain't turnin' back. We had a good run of it, I guess."

"We ain't even played our hand yet!" Dutch exclaimed. "We just need to put more money in our pockets, make our escape. Broke, alone, they're gonna pick us off, one by one, and you know it!"

"Maybe."

"Not. Maybe. We need to split up, keep a low profile, try to track down the rest. But...carefully. See if they sent any mail. Arthur, you check Shady Belle. We'll find each other eventually, we always do."

"And then what?" Javier asked Dutch.

"Then we meet up, we gather the family, we get some money and get the hell outta there. That's the plan."

"We all acting crazy, and that...that's not what I thought we were gonna be doin' here," Javier said.

Dutch stood up. "We have been in a bad way! Listen...I will kill for my family. Any of you wanna judge me for that, that's fine, but that is who I am. Anyone disagree?" No one spoke up. "Anyone?" When there was no reply, Dutch walked off.

Lilly sighed and looked at Arthur and Hosea. "Arthur? Athair? A word, please?" Lilly escorted the two men below deck to her cabin and shut the door behind Brian and James. "We still got a rat to worry about. I think that's why our luck has changed. That rat, whoever they are, ain't just gunnin' for me. I think we know that now."

"Agreed," Hosea said, sitting down. Arthur leaned on the wall and crossed his arms as Lilly sat on the bed. "Any idea who it might be?"

Arthur sighed. "Well, Dutch implied it might be John or Abigail."

"When did he imply that?"

"The cave in Guarma, before he killed our guide in cold blood."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "He what?"

"Are you serious?" Hosea asked as he leaned forward.

Arthur took in a deep breath with a nod. "Yup," he exhaled. "Said she was gonna betray us because he "knows some Spanish" and she had "a look in her eye"."

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," Lilly said in shock. "But why would he think it was Abigail or John?"

"Abigail apparently got away and John was only arrested."

"Yeah but...oh, right. Remember that rant he went on about Micah bein' the only...oh."

"Oh? What's "oh"?"

Lilly got up and started pacing. "Have you guys noticed that ever since Micah showed up, Da's been actin' a bit strange?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Why?" Hosea inquired of her.

"When I was sleepin', I had visions. There was a snake, and he was talking to Da."

"A snake?" Arthur raised his eyebrows. "A snake's been talkin' to Dutch?"

Lilly shook her head. "No, I think it's symbolic. I had a vision about a rat in camp, too. That's gotta be symbolic as well."

Arthur scratched the back of his head. "You know, it's funny you mention this snake."

"Why?"

"There's this blind man that begs for money over by the Heartlands, and I give him money whenever I run into him. And every time he does, he kinda...gives me some cryptic line about things. One time he said somethin' about "your father is seduced by the one with the forked tongue." So...I think that's the same thing.

Lilly gaped at Arthur. "You never mentioned this blind man before. I have visions and you didn't think to tell me about another person with...abilities?"

"I'm sorry, darlin'. I didn't think much of his fortunes until now."

Lilly looked at Hosea. "You got a map?"

* * *

Dutch told everyone to depart the ship one by one. Lilly needed two life boats to get Brian and James ashore along with her. It was night when she got off in Annesburg with some money and paid for a ride to Valentine. The drive wasn't that long but when she got to Valentine, the sun was coming up. She managed to purchase a morgan from the stable owner. She headed south with the boys and followed the directions on the map to find the blind man. And when she saw him in the distance, she thanked the Lord above.

"Money for the blind?" he said, waving his cup about. "Money for the...oh, who are you? You're one who also tells fortunes, yes?"

Lilly laughed and gave him a dollar. "Not so much that, sir. I was wondering about you. My husband, he-"

"Yes, your husband. He comes here from time to time and fills my cup. He is not who he thinks he is."

Lilly laughed again. "Yes, he does think rather poorly of himself. Thinks he's just a big, dumb brute, but I know better."

"That you do, fellow prophet."

Lilly rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "Prophet, huh? I guess that makes sense."

"You seek answers, and answers I can give. What is your question?"

"I dreamed about a rat in my camp and a snake whisperin' things in my father's ear. What can you tell me about that?"

"Your husband cannot hope, but you can, for you have been down that dark path that your father travels. Take off the head of the snake, for the rat and snake are one, and your father may return to the light."

Lilly nodded, her expression one of impressed revelation. "Ah, so the rat and the snake are one person. Anythin' else?"

"The rest you will find in time. Trust in The Morrigan."

"Thank you, sir. You've given me a lot to think on." She gave him another dollar and almost climbed onto her horse when the man spoke abruptly.

"Your husband, Arthur," the man said abruptly. "He cannot keep his promise."

Lilly stopped. "What do you mean?"

"He is already sick."


	55. The Riddle Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is "I Gave My Love A Cherry" by Unknown. It's also known as "The Riddle Song".

As she rode on Liath, Lilly thought long and hard about what the blind man said, and as much as she tried to focus on the other things, her mind was most occupied with the last piece of information she was given.

"He's already sick," she whispered to herself. Just saying it out loud made tears fall from her eyes. She caressed her eighteen week pregnant belly and sobbed, putting a palm on her mouth to muffle the sounds as she stopped her horse. "Oh, Arthur. You promised! You fuckin' promised!"

She wiped her tears and rode along with Brian and James trailing behind her. By midday, she got near Rhodes and traveled south from there to Shady Belle. There was no one there except a few horses.

"Hmm." She went inside and found Pinkerton bodies. "Arthur?! Are you here?!"

No response. She checked all the rooms. He had been here recently, so she'd have to track. She went back outside and told the boys to find Arthur, and they headed back out.

* * *

"Arthur! Arthur's here!" Mr. Pearson exclaimed.

Abigail laughed and hugged Arthur. "Oh Arthur, you're alive!"

"Just about," he said, coughing a little. He still felt like crap.

"Did Lilly make it?" she asked him.

"Yes. We all boarded ashore separately. She should be here soon."

"Come inside, come on, it's rainin'!" They all went inside. "Hey everybody, look who's here!"

"How y'all doin'?" Arthur asked as he brushed himself off. He went to Uncle's hammock and shook it. "Hey, old man, wake up!" Charles embraced Arthur with a short hug.

"Hey, Arthur, they got John," Abigail mentioned.

"Yeah, he got arrested," Sadie said.

"He ain't hung yet?" Arthur asked as he sat down.

"Not yet, they moved him to Sisika. He's been workin' on a chain gang."

Arthur looked around and saw Micah, Hosea, Lenny, Javier, and Sean had made it back. "Where's Dutch and Bill?" he asked as he was given food.

"He ain't here yet."

"Glad you boys made it here." Arthur began chowing down into his food. "Mmm, good. I'm starvin'."

"Yeah, you look it," Sadie commented. "In fact, you look a little under the weather. You feelin' okay?"

"Not really, but I'll be fine," Arthur said. He was worried, though, about what Lilly had said about him getting sick. When he'd finished his meal, he started chatting away with everyone when Mr. Pearson burst through the door. "Lilly's here!"

Arthur got up and ran to the door. She was coming in with Brian and James but she didn't look too happy to see him. She dismounted, ran to him and almost tackled him over. He laughed and held her close, but his smile soon faded when he felt her body shaking. "Hey, what's the matter?"

She pulled back and Lilly saw tears rolling down her cheeks. "We need to get you to a doctor right now!" She grabbed his hand and started yanking him to the morgan she purchased.

"Woa, wait a minute, why?"

"Because you're already sick."

Arthur stopped Lilly and turned her around. "I am?"

"Yes. You look like shit, don't tell me you haven't noticed. Have you been coughin'?"

"...Yes."

"Then you need a doctor right now. We need to go to Saint Denis."

"Is everythin' okay?" Sadie asked.

Lilly sighed and wiped her eyes. "I'm takin' Arthur to a doctor. He's not well."

"He sure don't look well. Alright, get along, you two."

Lilly spotted Liath and mounted up while Arthur got up on Rose. "At least they got our horses," Lilly said sadly.

"Yeah, there's that."

"Brian, James, stay." The couple road out together towards Saint Denis. "When did you start noticin' the coughin'?"

"The bank robbery. It got bad in Guarma, though."

"And ya didna bother tah tell me?!" Lilly snapped furiously. "I'm yer wife! Ya should'a told me!"

"I know, I'm sorry."

"How bad?" she asked.

"I coughed up blood."

"Shit!" Lilly increased the pace of her horse and Arthur followed suit. They eventually made it to Saint Denis and as they were trotting down the street, Arthur stopped and started coughing. "Mo chuisle, are you-"

"I'm fine, just..." he kept coughing and got off his horse. "Just..." his coughing got worse and he bent over.

Lilly dismounted and pat his back. "Arthur..."

Arthur suddenly fell over and kept coughing. "Shit, Lilly..."

"Arthur!" She knelt down next to him and watched in horror as blood came flying from his mouth. "Ó a Dhia! Arthur!" _[Oh my God!]_

"Don't get too close..." he wheezed.

"Oh shut up! Don't you-" Arthur coughed more and covered his mouth. "You promised me that you wouldn't get sick!"

"I know," Arthur wheezed. His breath was raspy as if he was struggling to breath, which Lilly knew he was. "I'm sorry."

Lilly helped him up. "No, it's not your fault. Let's just get you to a doctor."

Lilly whistled for the horses to follow and helped Arthur walk along the sidewalk. People stared at them as they passed but Lilly glared at each one of them.

"Lilly, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't..." Arthur let go of her and leaned against a pole, coughing and hacking up more blood. "Give me a minute, give me a minute," he groaned. He coughed more. "I'll be fine in a minute."

Lilly rubbed his back and started sobbing when she saw more blood hit the ground. "Jesus Christ..." she cried.

Arthur spit out the rest and stood up straight. "There...I'm fine...I'm so sorry I broke my promise Lilly."

Lilly grabbed him and continued helping him walk. "It's fine, don't worry about that. Come on, it's not much further."

Lilly turned the corner and helped him through the office door. A woman greeted them behind a windowless counter. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes," Lilly replied. "My husband needs a doctor, please."

The woman rang a bell. "Oh, uh, just one second, ma'am."

Lilly listened to Arthur's wheezing and shut her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. She brushed them away quickly as the doctor opened the door for them. "Come in, come in," he said.

Arthur coughed and wheezed as Lilly walked with him, helping him along. "Mister, I need some help," Arthur said.

"So it seems. And that's Doctor Mister to you."

Arthur coughed more as he fought to breath and Lilly put him down in the chair. "There we go, fear céile," Lilly said as she went behind him and kissed the top of his head. "Scíth a ligean agus análú, Arthur." _[Relax and breathe, Arthur.]_

"I'm sorry," Arthur rasped to the doctor."

"I was joking," the doctor replied. "Mrs. Morgan, how is your pregnancy coming along?"

"Fine, but can we deal with my husband first please?" Lilly asked with an irritated tone.

"You're right, my apologies. Now look, friend, I don't mean nothin', but you got money? I mean before I start treatin' you 'cause I got a family."

Lilly felt the urge to strangle the doctor for his crass but regretful impropriety, yet she suppressed it and cursed under her breath. Arthur reached into his bag and pulled out money to give to the man. "Yeah, I understand. Here, will that do ya?" Arthur wheezed.

"Sure, thank you," the doctor replied. "Now, what's wrong? I mean, what appear to be the symptoms?"

Lilly put her hands on Arthur's shoulders, moreso to brace herself for bad news. "Well, I think you heard them," Arthur said, his voice croaking. "I'm, I'm coughin'."

"Is there any blood?" The doctor looked inside Arthur's ears.

"...sometimes."

Lilly shut her eyes. She fought the need to wallop her husband upside the head. "Mmhmm." The doctor grabbed a stethoscope and put it on, pressing the end to Arthur's chest. "Okay, now here...breathe." Arthur inhaled and exhaled like a bubbly, wheezing, sick old man and Lilly resisted the urge to cry. "Again." Arthur breathed again but it was a little clearer. The man put the instrument down and grabbed a wooden tongue depressor. "Let me see your tongue. Now, say ahh."

He put it on Arthur's tongue. "Ahh," Arthur said. Lilly felt her little ones moving around and she held her swollen stomach. The doctor put the depressor down, got up, and walked to the sink to wash his hands. "What is it?"

"It's not good news."

Lilly shut her eyes once more and shook her head. "Well I guessed that," Arthur rasped.

The doctor flicked his hands. "You got tuberculosis."

Lilly gasped and covered her mouth and nose. "Oh God, no..."

The doctor wiped his hands dry. "I'm really sorry for you both, it's a hell of a thing," the doctor said.

"Well, what you mean?" Arthur asked as the doctor sat back down in front of Arthur.

"You're real sick, you...it's a progressive disease. You'll be...well, the best thing is rest and getting somewhere warm and dry, and taking it easy. Now, is that possible?"

"Sure, I can just take my winters in my country club in California," Arthur spat sarcastically. "No. It's not possible."

Lilly chuckled. Arthur could still be snarky as ever. She soon started weeping and kissed the top of his head again. "Doctor, is there nothing you can do?" she asked.

"Well," the doctor got up and grabbed a syringe from one of his drawers. "Let me get you a little bit more energy today, at least." He came back and stuck it in Arthur's arm, releasing the liquid inside.

After that was done, Arthur got up and walked out immediately. Lilly followed. "Arthur, slow down," she said, tears still filling her eyes.

"No, I gotta be in a rush. I am dyin', after all!" Arthur kicked a box over. "Fuck!"

Lilly bowed her head. "I don't get it. How did this happen?"

"I know how it happened! Mr. Downes!"

Lilly cocked her head. "Mr. Downes?"

Arthur put his hands on his hips. "Someone I collected a debt from. He spit in my eye while I was beatin' him up."

Lilly's eyes narrowed. "A debt? A debt Strauss sent ya on?!"

"Yes, while we was livin' at Horseshoe Overlook."

Lilly clenched her fists. She was distraught. Furious. She needed someone to blame. Strauss was going to be that person. "That...I'll kill him." Lilly said as she walked over to Liath.

Arthur turned to her. "What? Who?"

"Who the fuck do ya think?!" Lilly snapped. "He should'a sent me!" Lilly went racing down the road.

* * *

When Lilly arrived at Lakay, Arthur followed close behind her as they both dismounted. "Lilly, this ain't his fault," Arthur said.

Lilly pulled out one of her revolvers and power walked to the main shack. "STRAUSS! GET THE FUCK OUT HERE NOW!" her voice boomed.

"Oh shit!" Arthur said. "Honey, calm-"

Lilly turned to Arthur and shouted at him. "DO NOT TELL ME TAH CALM DOWN, ARTHUR MORGAN!"

"Lilly, that don't work on-"

"I DO NOT GIVE A RAT'S ASS, ARTHUR!"

"Lilly?" Strauss said as he walked from the shack. "What is goin' on?"

Other people came walking out and Lilly directed her attention back to Strauss. She walked over to him and put the gun to his forehead. "This is all yer fault! ALL YER FUCKING FAULT!" Lilly snapped loudly, her voice crackling and echoing throughout the swamp.

People gasped and screamed as Strauss put his hands up. He looked shocked. "What did I do?!"

Lilly's hands began shaking as she felt her whole world collapse around her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pulled back the hammer of her gun. She could hear other people begging her to stop but she paid them no mind. All that mattered at that point was that Strauss might as well have killed her husband straight out. And this revelation only made her angrier. "You. Killed. My. Husband."

"What are you talking about? He's right there!"

"Mr. Downes! He got Arthur sick!" Lilly snapped, suddenly gun whipping Strauss in the face, which made him fall down. Blood spilled from his mouth as Lilly glared down at Strauss, gun aimed at his face. "Ya doomed him to die, and now he will never meet our children!"

Lilly's breathing was heavy and all she could see was red. Arthur started whispering in her ear. "Darlin', don't do it. Please. It ain't his fault."

"Yes it is. If he hadn't sent ya on it, ya'd-"

"No. If I hadn't beaten the shit out of Downes, I wouldn't have gotten sick. Now, put the gun down, Lillian."

Lilly refused but she felt her will faltering. It wasn't like Strauss knew the man was sick, right? "Did ya know Mr. Downes was sick, Herr Strauss?!"

"N-not at the time, no!" Strauss yelped. "Please don't kill me, Lilly!"

"That's Mrs. Morgan tah ya!" Lilly growled. "We ain't on a first name basis anymore, ya cowardly little parasite!"

Arthur stood in front of the gun and raised his hands. "Lillian, please," Arthur pleaded. "Put the gun down."

Lilly slowly lowered her gun, her whole body shaking. "He killed ya, Arthur," she sobbed, then fell to her knees. "It's not fair..."

Arthur grabbed her and held her close as she cried into his chest. "I know, I know," he said, stroking her back. He picked her up in his arms. "Come on, let's uh, let's go inside."

Lilly clung to her husband, surprised that he was still strong enough to carry her. "Arthur, it's just not fair," she wailed.

"I know, baby girl, it ain't fair at all."

"How are you so calm about this all of a sudden?" she cried.

"Because you're not," he said, kissing her loose hair. "Let's get some rest, huh? I think we both earned a nap."

"Okay," she sniffled. He settled her down on a bed and they laid down next to each other. Lilly cuddled into his chest while he wrapped his arms around her. "How am I gonna raise the babies with you? What am I gonna do without you? I can't live without you!"

Arthur shushed her. "Yes you can, darlin'."

"No, I can't!" she sniveled.

Arthur kissed the top of her head. "Yes you can, and you know you can. Now stop cryin' and sleep, mo bhean chéile."

"N-no! I won't!"

Arthur sighed and got up, covering Lilly up with a blanket. "You need to calm down."

"I won't calm down!"

"Arthur," Susan said as he came up to them. "Does she need her medicine?"

"I...I hate havin' her use it, but yeah. You have her satchel?"

"Right here," Susan said as she pulled out Lilly's pipe and bag of herbs.

Lilly looked at it and sat up. "No, I don't want it!"

"Lilly, honey, be reasonable!" Arthur snapped. "I can't stand seein' you this upset so take the god damn medicine!"

Lilly sniffled. She didn't want Arthur to be upset, either, so her will to be stubborn caved in. "Okay..." she said meekly.

Arthur frowned and pulled her into his lap. "I'm sorry for yellin', I...this is hard for me too."

Lilly sniffled again, taking in his pine tree scent. "I know. You should be the one blubberin' on, not me."

Arthur laughed and kissed her softly. "You're my wife. You're allowed to cry. Now take your medicine."

Lilly grabbed the pipe, stuffed it, lit it, and took a puff. She coughed but immediately felt more relaxed. Susan took it back, put the smoke out, and stuffed the items back into Lilly's bag. "Will you be needin' anythin' else, Arthur?"

"No. Just some privacy, I suppose."

"Of course."

Susan walked away as Lilly sniveled into Arthur's chest. "Hey, you remember that song I used to sing to you when you were little?"

"Which one? You sang a lot of 'em." Lilly sniffled again, the tears still falling.

Arthur cleared his throat and started to sing, slowly rocking Lilly back and forth.

_I gave my love a cherry that had no stone,_

_I gave my love a chicken that had no bone._

Lilly started giggling. "Oh, that silly one."

Arthur chuckled deeply. "Yes, but it always got you to sleep."

_I gave my love a story that had no end,_

_I gave my love a baby,_ _got no cryin'._

"But I..." Lilly yawned. "I don't want to go to sleep."

_How can there be a cherry that has no stone_

_How can there be a chicken that has no bone_

Despite not wanting to sleep, Lilly felt comforted by her husband's singing. His baritone voice and his ear for tunes was not bad at all. In fact, it was good. Lilly shut her eyes as she listened.

_How can there be a story that has no end_

_How can there be a baby with no cryin'_

Lilly felt her awareness drifting off but she fought off the sleep so she could keep listening.

_Well, a cherry when it's bloomin', it has no stone_

_A chicken when it's pipin', it has no bone_

_The story of I love you, it has no end_

_A baby when it's sleepin' has no cryin'_

_Hush little baby_

_Hush little baby_

_Hush little baby_

_Don't you cry_

* * *

Arthur looked down at his sleeping wife and sighed in relief. God, he hated seeing her so upset. And she was right, he should be the upset one, and he was, but when she raced off on the war path, he buckled himself up to stop her. And when Lilly was about to kill Strauss, Arthur was her voice of reason. And when she fell down crying, his heart broke but he picked her up and became her pillar of strength once more. But now that she was sleeping, Arthur was alone with his thoughts. He tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead, sitting down and staring at her face. At least she looked peaceful. He lifted the blanket and gazed at her belly. His little twins. Would he live long enough to see them born? He doubted it. Still, as long as his wife and children lived, his death would be of little consequence. Lilly would mourn, of course, but she was the strongest woman he knew, so he couldn't think of a better protector of the little ones than her and he knew she'd eventually come to terms with his death. And she'd have the gang, of course...if they were still around by the time they had the money to get to Ireland with enough to plant for bountiful harvests. The gang, he felt, was falling apart. Dutch's mentality was slipping into darkness, he knew that much. Could he be saved, though?

Arthur placed a soft kiss on her belly and tucked Lilly back in before standing up and walking out to meet with the people who had been patiently waiting for him. Hosea approached first.

"Is it true, Arthur?" Hosea asked sadly.

"Yes," he sighed, "I got tuberculosis."

* * *

Lilly woke up next to Arthur from some sort of commotion going on and she groaned as she sat up. Arthur woke up too. "What's goin' on?" he asked.

"I dunno, I..."

"He's back, he's back! Lilly, Arthur, Dutch is back!" Sadie shouted.

"Heeeeeey, heh heh heh heh!" someone laughed.

Lilly and Arthur got up and joined the rest of the group. "How'd you folks find each other? What happened? Can...can somebody get me a cup of coffee or somethin'?" Dutch asked everyone.

Tilly went back to get coffee. "It was Mrs. Adler who saved us, Dutch. After the robbery in Saint Denis, she got us away from the camp before the Pinkertons turned up," Strauss explained as Tilly brought Dutch some coffee. "Then Mrs. Adler and Mr. Smith..."

Lilly had enough of hearing Strauss' voice and marched out the front door, slamming it shut.

* * *

Arthur watched her go and sighed. Dutch looked at everyone and they were all very tense. "Did I miss somethin'?" Dutch asked the people.

Strauss spoke up. "Well, uh...Mrs. Morgan is very upset with me right now."

"Why?"

"She blames me for, uh, well, ahem..." Strauss stopped and lowered his face.

Arthur moved ahead of people. "She's blamin' him because I'm sick."

Dutch's face turned sour. "Sick? What kind of sick?"

"The kind that I'm gonna die from, Dutch. Tuberculosis," Arthur said gravely.

"Ah, Jesus," Dutch turned and grabbed his forehead. "Son of a...but you and Lilly got two kids on the way!"

"I know," Arthur said hoarsely. "I know."

"Arthur," Dutch placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, "I am so sorry. But how does Herr Strauss fit into all this?"

"Because Mr. Downes, a debtee, got me sick."

"Is he still alive?"

"No."

* * *

Lilly didn't know what else to feel at this point besides anger. She was angry at Strauss, angry at Arthur, angry at The Morrigan. Hell, she might as well be angry at the whole world for all that it took from her, as well as what it kept taking from her. Lilly put a hand to her stomach, feeling the wee bairns inside. Life was cruel. What good was she doing bringing two more lives into such a horrid world? How could she raise two children without their father? She felt hands on her shoulders and her head bowed as she leaned against the railing, the smell of pine trees invading her senses.

"What's on your mind, mo stór?" Arthur asked her.

"I hate everythin'," she responded bitterly. "God damn everythin'."

Arthur chortled. "Nah, you don't mean that."

"Yes I do." She turned around and glared at him. "I hate Strauss, I hate The Morrigan, and I really hate you right now."

Arthur frowned and held her in his arms. "No you don't. You love me."

"Yes, but I hate you even more."

"Liar." Arthur put her face in his hands. "I love you. And you're gonna raise our two wonderful kids and you are gonna be great at it."

Lilly shut her eyes and took a deep breath in, trying not to cry again. "Tá grá agam duit." _[I love you.]_

"Hey!" Bill shouted at them. "Finally!" He rushed by them and slammed the door open. "Well here you is!" Arthur and Lilly followed him inside. "Well I asked everyone I could find and eventually someone knew! Said you fools were out here!" Bill closed in on Tilly and Sadie. "Shit! Gimme a drink or somethin'!"

"Get your own damn drink!" Mrs. Adler sassed.

Lilly snorted and put her forehead to Arthur's shoulder. He wheezed a chuckle and shook his head. "In our absence, Mrs. Adler here has been looking after things. Now sit down," Dutch said, giving Bill his coffee. Someone started shouting outside.

"This is Agent Milton with the Pinkerton Detective Agency!" Milton yelled to them.

"Already?!" Dutch said.

"Aww shit," Arthur said with an eye roll.

"On behalf of Cornwall Kerosene and Tar, the United States Government, and the Commonwealth of West-"

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Lilly's voice boomed as she slammed the door open, turned into Adair, and stormed out.

"Did you fools not learn your god damn lesson in Saint Denis?!" she shouted. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

* * *

Arthur sighed as gunfire and shouting was heard outside, along with snarling, howling, and barking from the wolves. Soon screams of agony and death were heard. Arthur grabbed a cup of coffee from Tilly and chuckled, taking a drink. "People just don't learn, do they?" he said.

"Don't learn what?" Dutch asked.

"Not to make my wife mad."

One by one, people started chuckling and giggling. Except Mr. Strauss. He looked rather ashamed which was an emotion Arthur never thought the man was capable of feeling. Soon it was quiet outside and Adair came back in, wings out and her form covered in blood. "Stupid, stupid mortals! They are such...such...Lilly, what's the word I'm looking for? Oh. Yes. Eejits!" Her wings flapped and she sighed. "Now, Lilly suggests I try...coffee."

Tilly went to fetch her one and Arthur put a hand on Adair's shoulder as some of the others gawked at her wings. "Do I even wanna know what you did out there?"

"Probably not," Adair said with a delightful giggle. "In fact, uh...perhaps the men and I should clean up so the women and Little Jack do not see?"

"That's a good idea," Sadie said. "But I wanna go see what you did!"

Sadie walked past and Tilly gave Adair a cup of coffee. "Here you go. It's hot so be careful."

Adair tilted her head to one side as she looked at Tilly. "Thank you, child." She blew into the cup and giggled at the smoke before taking a drink. "Mmm, this is good."

"Holy shit!" Sadie yelled outside. "One woman did all this?!"

Adair laughed almost maniacally. "No, a goddess accomplished all of that bloodshed, Mrs. Adler."

"Um, when did you get wings?" Karen asked.

"They're so pretty!" Mary Beth exclaimed excitedly. "Can I touch 'em?"

Adair turned around and tucked her wings in. "Of course."

Mary Beth stroked the feathers and giggled. "So soft."

"Did you get Milton?" Dutch asked.

"Unfortunately no," Adair said, sipping the hot coffee. "Little bugger slipped away again."

"How did that happen?"

"I apologize, Mr. Van der Linde, but I was preoccupied killing whoever dared to get in my way, and in that, Mr. Milton was very wise to go the opposite direction."

A deep, low chuckle came from Dutch. "I don't know who is more ruthless, you or Lilly."

"Where do you think Lilly's ruthlessness comes from?" Adair said with humor in her voice.

"Can I get a hand out here with the cleaning?" Sadie yelled out.

Some of the men came outside and gasped in awe. "Good Lord!" Bill said.

Sean giggled and kicked the body of a cut up corpse. "Right? The savagery blows my mind."

Adair walked outside. "Well, gentlemen," she flapped her wings again. "Shall we get started?"

The able bodied men, Sadie and Adair got to work cleaning up and tossing body parts into the swamp. "Well, looks like the alligators will have their fill tonight," Lenny said as he tossed a body into the water.

"You mean those foul looking creatures that inhabit these waters?" Adair asked him.

"Yes. Nasty bastards, too."

"Yes. Fear céile and Lilly had run ins with two rather large...alligators. Shall I catch one for our dinner?"

Arthur cackled as he tossed a severed head into the swamp waters. "Sure, Adair. You do that. You might need to kill more than one, though. We got plenty of people to feed."

Adair flew up into the air and started scanning the area. "How many do you think, fear céile?"

"Maybe three or four!" he yelled.

"Then I shall be back with three...or four!" Adair went flying off into the distance.

Arthur shook his head and cackled. "I don't think I'll ever get used to her havin' wings."

Lenny laughed as he picked up another body. "As if your wife bein' a reincarnated Irish goddess was somethin' you could get used to."

"Ha! True enough, Lenny."

Dutch walked up to the two men as they both deposited more dead carcasses for predators to gobble up. "She saved us again, Arthur. Where'd she run off to? I need to thank her."

"She went _flyin'_ off to find dinner." Arthur started coughing and he bent over as he grasped his chest. "Oh damn."

Dutch patted his back. "You okay, son?"

"Sure."

"Well, we ain't been back for more than a few days," Micah said, dragging a dead body to the water.

Arthur stood up. "What...what do we do, Dutch?" Arthur asked.

"Clearly, we need to leave. It'll take them some time to regroup," Dutch replied. "Mr. Pearson, Miss Grimshaw, start packin' up! Javier, you and Bill get outta here. Go scare off any scum still loitering about...we need a couple of days. Now! Please, gentlemen."

"Sure," Bill said as he walked away with Javier.

"What next, Dutch?" Arthur asked him.

"We just need some time. I just, I, I need some time. Now we can't go east 'cos then we'll be in the ocean, so we're gonna have to go north, I guess? I just need somebody to buy me some," Dutch slammed his hand on the wagon holding a Gatling gun, "god damn time, one of you!"

"You'll figure it out, boss. You always do," Micah assured Dutch.

"What are you gonna do about John, Dutch?" Abigail asked him.

"John."

"He's in jail."

"W-w-we'll get-" Suddenly four dead alligators dropped from the sky and people backed up with yelps. Dutch looked up, as did Arthur and the rest, to see Adair flying above them. "Adair! I thank you very much for not only savin' us, but for also gettin' us some dinner, but could you please be more mindful about where you drop the food?" Dutch scolded her.

Adair frowned. "My apologies." she said as she landed and looked around. "The fat man. Where is he?"

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "Are you gonna scare him again?"

"Most assuredly, yes." Adair grabbed the four dead alligators by their tails and began to drag them around. "Well, where is the juicy human? I bet he would go great with alligator stew. That's what Lilly says, anyway."

Dutch, Arthur and Micah guffawed into fits and Abigail said, "ew". Dutch pointed towards the shack. "He's in there." Adair pulled the dead animals in that direction and Abigail repeated her question. "We'll get him, Abigail. Just not, not yet."

"There's talk of hangin' him!" Abigail snapped.

"It's not gonna come to that!" Dutch snapped, walking away.

"Dutch!"

"Not now, Miss, I...not now!" Dutch walked into the shack and Micah followed him.

"Why did you bring me food when we gotta pack up, Adair?!" Pearson shouted.

"Well it was either these things for dinner or you!" Adair shouted back. "If you are so worried about packing up, I will help Miss Grimshaw! These people are hungry!"

Arthur started cackling. "You know, I kinda feel bad for Mr. Pearson but...she's just so funny."

Sadie came walking over and joined Arthur. "Well, we made a quick clean up of the bodies."

Abigail approached them both. "I'm beggin' you two. He's..." Abigail made a sad, worried face. "They're gonna hang him. It would break my..." Abigail put a palm to her cheek, "...the boy's heart. Please, do somethin'."

"We will," Mrs. Adler assured her. Abigail sighed and walked off. "Okay. I'm gonna go figure out how we rescue this bastard," Sadie said to Arthur.

"Now?" Arthur asked her.

"Yes now. Meet me at Doyle's Tavern on Milyonne Avenue."

Sadie walked away and Adair approached Arthur. "May I inquire about this "John" situation? Are we going to rescue him from jail?"

Arthur stared at her suspiciously. "How often are you awake while Lilly's out here?"

"Often enough to know how much coitus you both engage in."

"You spy on us?!"

"It is hard not to. You both love each other very much," Adair said, pressing a palm to Arthur's shoulder, "and I can certainly see why. But...perhaps there is something my mother can do about your illness."

"What you talkin' 'bout?"

"Well, my mother, well, my aunt Macha is a healer. When Lilly visits Tír na nÓg again, we shall see what can be done, but I can make no promises."

Arthur smiled and pat Adair's hand, feeling extremely grateful. "Thank you. Does Lilly know?"

"Lilly is asleep. I will inform her once she awakens."

* * *

_22-year-old Arthur, in red long johns and black pants, heard Lilly screaming at the top of her lungs one night and went running to her tent. Dutch and Hosea did as well._

_"What's goin' on?!" Dutch yelled._

_"I don't know!" Arthur snapped. The three men raced inside to see objects flying about and shaking as Lilly thrashed about in her sleep. "Jesus Christ..."_

_"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME, PAPA! NO!" her voice boomed._

_Arthur avoided the objects as he went to her and tried to wake her up. "Lilly!" he yelled as he shook her. "Wake up, sweetheart!"_

_Lilly continued to scream as a lantern came flying and almost hit Arthur in the head but he ducked. It crashed to the ground and broke. Hosea and Dutch braced themselves and ran in. "Arthur, we need to wake her up!" Dutch said to him._

_"I know!" Arthur snapped. He shook Lilly again. "Wake up!"_

_"GET OFF ME, PAPA! GO AWAY!"_

_Dutch and Hosea backed off and Arthur looked at them strangely as he also backed up. "What are you two doin'?"_

_"We don't know! We...she's-"_

_Lilly screamed out again. "STAY AWAY!"_

_Arthur stood his ground but the other two men backed up more. "I need help here!"_

_"I can't move, Arthur!" Dutch shouted._

_"Me neither!" Hosea yelled._

_Arthur went and shook Lilly again, this time violently. "WAKE UP, KID!" he shouted loudly._

_Lilly's eyes opened and she looked at Arthur, gasping for air as all the objects came crashing to the floor. Lilly went to look but Arthur picked her up and covered her eyes. "Don't look, honey," he said as he walked her out of the tent._

_"But why?" she sobbed._

_"You had a bad dream."_

_"Oh no...not again..."_

_Arthur looked at her. "Are you okay? You've had dreams like that before?"_

_Lilly nodded and buried her face into his chest. "I'm sorry."_

_Arthur kissed the top of her head. "Don't you worry 'bout that...just relax," he cooed. "Come on, you can sleep in my bed with me, okay?"_

_Lilly wiped her eyes and nodded. "Okay."_

_He walked over to his tent and walked inside along with Dutch and Hosea, but Miss Grimshaw, Bessie, John, and Annabelle came running. "What happened?" John asked._

_"She had a bad dream, that's all," Arthur said, tucking her in. "She's fine."_

_"But she was so loud! What the heck kind of dream was that? You scared me half to death!"_

_Lilly frowned at John. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, John."_

_John sat down next to her. "I only meant I thought someone was hurting you."_

_"Is she okay?" Bessie asked._

_Arthur sighed and looked at everyone. "Susan, could you uh, go see about her tent, please?"_

_"But why? What happened?" Susan asked him._

_Dutch, Hosea and Arthur all looked at each other. Dutch gave out a long sigh. "I'll show you, Miss Grimshaw, come on."_

_The rest of the gang left and Arthur snuggled in next to Lilly before they fell asleep. Lilly had another bad dream, but this one was about her brother dying and very few items were disturbed._ _He quickly picked them up and assured everyone she was fine, but he was worried. How to comfort her, he had no idea, but Arthur cradled Lilly in his arms and rocked her a bit as he sat on the bed._

_"Arthur," she said, "I really am sorry."_

_"Nah, no need to be sorry, sweetheart. Is there anythin' I can do to make you feel better?"_

_Lily bit her lip. "I...my mum used to sing to me to help me feel better."_

_Arthur's eyes widened. "Well, I do know a few songs. Alright," Arthur said, clearing his throat, and then he began to sing._

_I gave my love a cherry that had no stone,_

_I gave my love a chicken that had no bone,_

_I gave my love a story that had no end,_

_I gave my love a baby, got no cryin'_

_How can there be a cherry that has no stone,_

_How can there be a chicken that has no bone,_

_How can there be a story that has no end,_

_How can there be a baby with no cryin'_

_Well, a cherry when it's blooming, it has no stone_

_A chicken when it's pippin', it has no bone_

_The story of I love you, it has no end_

_A baby when it's sleepin' has no cryin'_

_Hush little baby_

_Hush little baby_

_Hush little baby_

_Don't you cry_

_Arthur looked down at her and smiled. She looked like she was in a peaceful sleep. He laid her down and fell asleep with her little body in his arms, and she had no more bad dreams that night._


	56. The Sickness

_Trees and plants dying. Arthur coughing and hacking. A cave near Annesburg. A young blonde woman in a cage. Horses. Snow. The cave by Colter. Molly getting shot in the stomach. A snake in Dutch's ear. "Just shoot the girl, Dutch. Kill her!" it hisses._

Lilly woke up in a cold sweat and sat up straight. She immediately grabbed her journal and started writing. It was a short vision, but it was enough to let her know Molly was next to die. It occurred to her, though, that Molly was not in camp at all. And then there was that new bit about what the snake had said to her Da. Lilly put the journal back into her bag and looked over at her sleeping husband. Arthur was sweaty and pale. She placed a hand on his forehead. He was hot. Lilly frowned and kissed his forehead. "Mo chuisle," she whispered.

Arthur slowly opened his blood shot eyes and looked at her with a wheezed groan. "I don't feel good at all," he said to her.

It broke her heart seeing her husband like this but she resisted an urge to cry by holding her breath for a few seconds. When the feeling passed, she smiled at him. "I'm gonna go get you some medicine, but I'll see if Miss Grimshaw's got anythin' for your fever, okay?"

"I have a fever?"

"Oh yeah. I could cook eggs on your face."

Arthur chortled then started coughing. Lilly handed him a hankerchief to cough into and when he was done, Lilly saw bloody phlegm on it. She wondered, due to her healing abilities, if she was immune to his illness. In fact, now that she thought about it, she'd never been sick an entire day in her life, except during the beginning of her pregnancy.

"You shouldn't get too close, sweetheart," Arthur rasped.

"Nonsense. I am your wife. I am goin' to take care of you. Now," she smacked his butt and he chortled again, "rest up, mo ghrá." Lilly got up and looked for Miss Grimshaw outside, spotting her by one of the wagons and walking to her. "Hey, have you seen Molly?" Lilly asked her.

"No," replied Miss Grimshaw. "Not since Shady Belle. We have no idea where she went."

"Huh. Okay." Lilly scratched the back of her braided head. "Listen, I'm runnin' into town for some things for Arthur but he's got a fever. Do you got anythin' for that?"

"I can put yarrow into some tea. I'll brew it right up now."

"Excellent, thank you."

Lilly headed into town to the general store for food, to the tailor to buy bigger shirts and pants on account of her growing belly, to at least five different bookstores looking for anything about tuberculosis (she bought at least ten different ones), then she went to get shots and other medicine from the doctor for her husband as well as get an eighteen week check up. All things were normal in the pregnancy and Lilly was assured that her back pains were all part of the wonderful miracle of pregnancy. Lilly left with the syringes and medicine in her satchel but as she crossed the street, she noticed a familiar looking nun. She'd seen her with Brother Dorkins.

"Please, help the poor. They are in desperate need," the nun said. She spotted Lilly and smiled. "Mrs. Morgan!"

Lilly neared her with a lazy salute. "Hello, Sister..."

"Calderón. Brother Dorkins and I were just talking about you and your husband the other day amd hoping we would see you again."

"And how is Brother Dorkins?" Lilly asked the nun.

"Oh, he's quite well. A little frustrated with the workings of our order. He keeps trying to be sent overseas. You know, do something with more challenge. Maybe...be a missionary." Sister Calderón sat down on a bench. "He's a lovely man."

Lilly chuckled and sat down on the bench with the woman. "He sure seems to be," she groaned, resting a hand on her swollen belly. She felt the bairns rolling about and "oofed".

"And how is your pregnancy coming along?"

"Fine. Wee bairns are kickin' about now."

"You're having twins...how wonderful!"

Lilly laughed. "Sure."

"And your husband?"

Lilly frowned. "Well, he's sick, Sister. Very sick."

"I see. I shall pray for him and for you."

"Oh, we're not religious people, Sister...well, he isn't, and I believe moreso in the gods of my people than Christianity. But even so, he and I are outlaws."

Sister Calderón laughed. "Oh, what fun! Religion is just a word. Hearts are rarely pure, but equally they are rarely impure either. You know, a long time ago, I was like you and your husband."

Lilly cocked her head as she glanced at the sister. "Is that so?"

"Yes, I did terrible things. Awful things. And I could not stop doing terrible things because I did not believe goodness existed. And then, one day, I saw that love did exist, and ever since then, doing bad things became, well not inpossible, but...ridiculous."

"Well, we both know love exists, but that don't stop us from doin' horrible things all the time. Me especially."

"Well," Sister Calderón stood up, "to me, God is people, and people are God, so we must all do what we can."

Lilly stood up with a groan. "That's a lovely way to look at the world, Sister Calderón, but I cannot share the sentiment just now."

"Oh, come now. Surely it isn't all that bad."

"My husband is dyin'. My children won't ever know their father. That don't make my heart so susceptible to seein' the good in life."

"Well, perhaps this will. These people are starving. Go find them some food. Don't worry so much about your heart. The actions will lead and the heart follows. It will help you cherish the time you have left with your husband, and of course your children will know him. You will tell them, won't you? About their father?"

"Of course I will," Lilly said.

"They will know him then. He will live on in them and in you, as long as your heart remembers him."

Lilly felt tears fill her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. Lilly reached into her bag on Doc and donated some food she just bought. "Here, I don't need all of this, I suppose."

"Ah, you are wonderful, Mrs. Morgan."

"Well, thanks."

Lilly walked away with Doc in tow and sighed. It was a good deed she did but she still didn't feel much better about things. However, perhaps if she tried to stay positive, as the woman said, she'd feel more positive. She stopped and grabbed one of the books from her bag then sat down on a bench to start reading. It was a new sort of treatment for tuberculosis by a doctor by the name of Trudeau. Something about the mountain air, exercise, and milk. Even as she read it, her heart became lighter as proof was in the pages of a possible recovery. Lilly decided she would do everything she could to keep her husband alive, even if it meant prolonging their escape to Ireland, although Ireland did have plenty of mountain ranges. Lilly took out her journal and began writing a letter to Patrick. When she was done, she posted it at the post office.

When Lilly got back to camp, Brian, James and Arthur were there waiting for her. The rest of the people were getting ready to move camp. She dismounted and kissed Arthur on the cheek.. His fever was gone. "I see Miss Grimshaw gave you some yarrow tea for your fever."

"She did," he said, wheezing a little.

"I managed to buy some shots from that doctor, I also got you some cough syrup, aspirin...I got so many different books about tuberculosis, new types of treatments and everythin', and-"

Arthur held her hands. "Don't you think that's a bit much?"

"No. I've decided I'm not lettin' you die." She took out a shot. "Now hold still, please." Lilly checked the plunger like the doctor showed her, pushed out a little liquid, then punctured Arthur's skin and injected the liquid into his arm.

Arthur winced and shook his head. "I don't think you got much choice."

"Well if Macha or The Morrigan refuses to save you, then I will do my damndest to save you, Arthur Morgan, and don't you dare make fun of me for it," she snapped.

Arthur held up his hands in surrender. "I ain't makin' fun, I just wanna make sure you don't get your hopes up is all."

Lilly frowned at his pale face and blood shot eyes. "This book here," she pointed to one as she pulled it from Doc's pouch, "this one talks about a doctor who survived tuberculosis by exercising in mountain air, having three meals a day, and drinking milk every four hours." She handed Arthur the book. "If he survived it, so can you."

"We ain't got a cow."

"Well I'm buyin' one as soon as we set up camp, or maybe we'll get some goats. Goats milk should work. Now where is Da?"

Arthur motioned to one of the shacks. "He's sittin', thinkin'," Arthur said.

"I am not givin' up on you, Arthur, and you shouldn't either." With a kiss on his sweaty, pale cheek, Lilly walked away to go find Dutch. She found him sitting on a porch playing an invisible chess game, making motions with his hands as he called out his pieces to move.

"White to D4, black to F5. White to G3, knight to F6. Bishop to G2, black to G6, knight to F3." Dutch began repeating the sequence when Lilly walked to his side.

"You uh, plannin' your moves?" she asked.

"Yup. Workin' it all out, once and for all, Lilly."

Lilly sat up in the railing. "You know, I was thinkin', if we're headed north, could we try and get close to the mountain range?"

"I suppose. Why?"

Lilly handed him the book. "This book talks about mountain air being a good treatment for tuberculosis. That and exercise...and a strict diet...and milk."

"Milk?" Dutch laughed. "We ain't got a cow."

"I'll buy one, or maybe some goats. Book doesn't seem to discriminate on what kind of milk to use."

Dutch sighed and started skimming through. "What makes you think this...hmm, Dr. Trudeau's got it right?"

Lilly turned to a certain page for him and pointed. "Because he survived it. He's even got a sanitorium somewhere way east in New York for other patients and accordin' to this, they're doin' fine. Anyway, Arthur will need rest too, so I am more than happy to take his place in all the work."

 _"As am I,"_ Adair said in Lilly's head.

"Oh, Adair is willing as well."

Dutch laughed as he read, then he shut the book and handed it back to Lilly. "Well, if you think it can be done, then do it, Lilly. I want Arthur to live just as much as you do."

"Thanks, Da."

Arthur came walking up and sat next to Lilly. He already looked better and Lilly smiled happily. "So, what now?" Lilly asked.

"We're back. And I'm sittin' here and I am contemplating the great journey of the sun and considering a famous chess move. Those oily enactors of a mediocre justice, the Pinkertons and their benefactor, your," he pointed at Lilly, "sneaky, slimy, sorry excuse of an uncle, the depressing millionaire Leviticus Cornwall, they want us, Arthur!" Dutch pointed to Arthur. "They want us, and they are goin' to have us."

"Well maybe they ain't the problem."

"Meanin'?" Dutch snapped.

"I don't know, it's just...I can't help but feel we would've been better," Arthur got up, "runnin' off someplace else."

"But the, the game ain't over, Arthur. I mean I ain't, I ain't played my, my final move, but..."

"I guess I'm more interested in savin' lives than winnin' at chess."

"Then maybe life ain't such a thing to cling onto so tightly!"

"No doubt! But what about the women?"

"Arthur!" Lilly said with a scowl. "Why are you givin' Da such a hard time? He's tryin' his best, you know?"

Arthur squinted an eye at her. "I know he is, Lilly, but...where are we gonna run to? I mean they chased us from the west, they chased us over the mountains, they ran us into the sea!"

"Arthur...do you have my back?" Dutch asked him.

"Always, Dutch, but there's more than your back to worry about. We need more money. We been on the run for months now and I seen you," Arthur lowered at the waist and got close to Dutch, "killin' folk in cold blood like you always told me not to!" Dutch got up and moved away from him. "And I'm sorry but I can't help but think that if we-"

"There is country, in Roanoke Ridge, past Butcher Creek...I believe we could hold."

"Okay?"

"Lilly, you and Charles, you could take folks up that way. Micah and I need to do some reconnaissance. I ain't got a final plan, yet. Arthur," Dutch looked at Arthur, "I ain't got a..." he looked away, "I just need time." Dutch looked at Lilly with a look in his eye that Lilly hadn't seen before, and it almost frightened her. He looked like he'd gone mad, but it was only there for a second before it disappeared. "I need time..." he looked at Arthur one last time, "...and no traitors."

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other before looking back at Dutch. "Yes, Da," Lilly said before walking away. Arthur followed her to go find Charles. "Did ya see the look in his eyes, Arthur?" Lilly asked him.

"Yes. That was not a good look."

"I'm worried about him, Arthur," Lilly said as she fiddled with her fingers. "So worried."

Arthur embraced her from behind and kissed the top of her head. "I know. I am too. Gheobhaidh muid an nathair. Agus an francach." _[We will find the snake. And the rat.]_

"Is iad an nathair agus an francach an duine céanna. Dúirt an fear dall liom." _[The snake and rat are the same person. The blind man told me.]_

"Beidh sé níos éasca iad a aimsiú, ansin. Ag labhairt di ar nathracha... _[_ _It will be easier to find them, then. Speaking of snakes...]_ mine needs a hole to wiggle into," he said, nibbling on her ear lobe.

Lilly guffawed with a snort. Clearly, he was feeling a lot better. "Oh my God, bithiúnach. Not right now, I gotta go with Charles to find a new camp spot."

"Oh, let me come with, darlin', please," Arthur begged, kissing her neck.

Lilly giggled. "Now you're just bein' a baby."

"Yeah, but I'm your baby, and you're my baby, and," Arthur put his hands on her belly as she laughed, "these are our babies. And I just gotta be with all my babies," he mumbled as he continued kissing her neck.

"Alright, alright, but you have to rest afterwards. Now hopefully we can find a spot near the mountains. Charles?" Lilly was walking to him but Arthur was clinging to her. "Jesus, Arthur, what is up with you?"

"I need your honey pot," he growled lightly into her ear.

Lilly slapped his hands and laughed. "Shut up!"

Charles looked up at them and smiled. "Yes, Lilly?"

Arthur chuckled and bit the back of her neck so Lilly slapped his arm. "Oh my God, stop it! Ahem, Charles will you...Arthur!" she laughed when he bit her again. "Stooop!"

He licked her ear and growled again. "But I'm hungry."

Lilly blushed and her lips puckered as she resisted laughing. "Charles, will you ride with us, please?"

Charles nodded. "Always," he said as he stood up. "Where we headed?"

"Up past Butcher Creek," Arthur said, resting his chin on Lilly's shoulder.

"That's Murfree Brood Country," stated Charles.

Lilly sighed. "Yes, I've had my run-ins with them as well."

"When?"

"As a kid. I used to trek between the borders. They're almost as wild as the Night Folk, but I prefer Murfree Broods over them. Broods are easier to detect based on the smell."

Arthur and Charles laughed and Lilly's husband kissed her head. "Well, let's go."

"I need to go change into new clothes, first."

"Why?" Arthur asked as the three started walking to the horses.

"Because my old clothes are gettin' snug." Lilly grabbed a red shirt and black pants from a bag on Doc and ran into one of the shacks inside. As she dressed, Micah came storming in. Lilly only had her undershirt on and she hid behind a curtain. "Micah! I'm changin'! Do you mind?!"

Micah chuckled and got closer. "No, I do not mind at all." He moved around a little as if trying to get a peek at her. "So, Arthur's dyin', huh?"

Lilly scowled and put on her new pants. "Yes, but I'm hopin' it won't come to that. Got books that talk about new types of treatments for it."

Micah chuckled deeply. "Oh boy, well surely those will work," Micah said mockingly.

"Shut up, Micah." Lilly started buttoning up her new red shirt.

Micah came up to her and smiled. "Oh come on. Don't tell me you won't want a new man when he's gone," he said, stroking her cheek. Lilly grabbed his hand and started to squeeze which brought Micah to his knees. "Ow ow ow ow ow!"

"Now ya listen tah me, Micah god damn Bell! Don'tcha ever touch me again or I'll cut all yer fingers clean off and use 'em fer fish bait, ya hear me?!"

Micah laughed at her. "You amuse me."

Lilly gripped harder and made Micah yelp. "I'm not doin' this fer yer amusement, Micah!"

The door opened and Dutch walked in. "What is goin' on here?"

"Micah made advances towards me!" Lilly snarled.

"Micah!"

"I'm sorry, boss. She's just so pretty," Micah explained.

Dutch laughed. "That she is, but she's married."

Lilly let go of Micah's hand and stormed out with her boots in hand. Lilly shoved them on while outside and she charged angrily towards Charles and Arthur. "What's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Nothin', just a different snake tryin to wiggle into my hole."

Arthur laughed and helped Lilly onto Doc. "Who was that?"

"God damn Micah Bell."

Arthur mounted on Tessa and sighed. "I hope you broke somethin' other than his heart."

"I hope I did too. Let's get back to the task at hand, please."

Charles nodded as he climbed on Taima. "So, what are we doin' there? Up past Butcher Creek?"

"Lookin' for a new camp site. I doubt the law will come up there after us, at least not for a while."

"Yeah, I did some scouting up there while you were away," Charles said.

"And?" Arthur asked him.

"You'll see. I know the way. Follow me." Charles, Lilly and Arthur followed and Brian and James came in tow.

"We need to get this done fast. The Pinkertons will have reinforced in another day or two."

"Yes, the sooner we get out of here, the better. It's quite a ride up there. I saw some canoes near the bridge up river which would take us right up to Butcher Creek. Might be quicker. What do you think?"

"Yeah, a boat's probably a good idea."

"Okay, good."

"It's good to see you again, Charles," Arthur mentioned.

"Yes, it is, Charles," Lilly agreed.

"You too, both of you," Charles said.

"Thanks for what you did in Saint Denis, real brave drawin' 'em off us like that. I was worried you and Abigail had both got yourselves killed."

"I found a spot to lie low for a while then managed to get a ride with a wagon of workers headin' out to the fields. Abigail said she somehow managed to slip away when they grabbed Hosea."

"Speakin' of that, how did you manage to get away, Lilly?" Arthur asked her.

Lilly smirked. "I was wonderin' when you were gonna ask about that.

* * *

_"Shite, we got company!" Lilly shouted. Hosea and Abigail hid behind the carriage as Lilly started shooting at Pinkertons. "We need to go warn the others! This is a trap!"_

_Hosea grunted and Lilly turned around. More Pinkertons had shown up and Milton held Hosea at gun point. Abigail was being put in shackles and Lilly raised her gun and aimed it at Agent Milton. "Lilly, get outta here!" Hosea shouted. "The carriage is gonna blow!"_

_"No! I won't let 'em take you!"_

_A Pinkerton grabbed her from behind but she elbowed him in the face. He fell over and Lilly turned to see the Pinkertons leaving with Hosea and Abigail. The carriage suddenly exploded and Lilly was knocked off her feet. She felt the wind knock out of her and she groaned. She had a loud ringing in her ears and couldn't make out what Hosea was yelling. Where was Abigail? Lilly slowly got up and shook her head. What a nightmare. Shit. She had to warn the others. Lilly found a ladder on a building and immediately began climbing it. As she got to the top she started running across rooftops and jumping, keeping an eye on Hosea and the Pinkertons. They stopped in front of the bank and Lilly pulled out her repeater._

_"It's over! No more bargains! No more deals!" Milton shouted._

_"Mr. Milton! This is America! You can always cut a deal!" she heard Dutch yell._

_Crows started flying in and landed on buildings. "Shit, Adair?" Lilly backed up a little to brace herself for a jump. "I need you." This was the point where Hosea was supposed to die._

_"I've given you enough chances!" Milton shouted._

_"Shit! Milton, don't you do it!" Dutch shouted. "I will shoot a hostage if you kill him!"_

_Lilly ran to the ledge and jumped over just as light surrounded her, changing into Adair. When she landed in front of Hosea at the sound of a gunshot, a bullet hit her but it fell to the ground._

_"Get into the building, Hosea," Adair commanded._

* * *

Arthur nodded his head in approval. "Heh heh heh, that's my girl."

Lilly smiled at him with a blush. "Oh stop."

In time, they found a canoe and Lilly grabbed her bow and repeater from Doc. Arthur argued that he should paddle with Charles considering how Lilly's strength would overlap Charles', so Lilly resentfully obliged him. She got to sit in the middle as the two rowed north. Brian and James followed on the banks of the river. Charles spoke about helping out in Wapiti, saying things were bad up there and Lilly felt awful about it. Then he mentioned that the Murfree Broods liked to hide out in caves, and Lilly confirmed this because, as she said before, she'd had run-ins with these folks.

"So you're thinkin' we should take over one of their caves?" Lilly asked Charles.

"Yes. Think we can do it?" Charles inquired.

"With us three and the wolves. Hell yeah we can!"

Charles laughed. "Good to see you in such good spirits again, Lilly."

She nodded. "Well, let's just say I feel optimistic about things now. Especially if I can buy a cow or a few goats."

Charles laughed again. "What? Why?"

"For Arthur's treatment."

Lilly explained to Charles about one of the books she bought and Charles nodded in agreement. "It's worth a shot. Don't you think so, Arthur?"

"Yes, but what if this Dr. Trudeau feller is just writin' falsehoods for money?"

"Then I'll go to his sanitorium and kill him," Lilly said casually.

Arthur wheezed out a laugh then he started hacking and coughing. Lilly turned around and grabbed his paddle. "Arthur, you okay?"

Arthur spit some phlegm into the water and inclined his head. "Yes, just a little bout of coughin', Lilly."

"You need your medicine?" Lilly asked.

"No, we better save those shots for when I really need 'em."

"Alright, but I'm gonna help row now and I won't use all my strength." Lilly started rowing with Charles and of course, the first time she managed to row them in a full circle with just one stroke. "Fuck."

Both the men laughed at her and she laughed with them.

* * *

By the time Lilly and the men "borrowed" some horses from Butcher's Creek and joined back up with Brian and James, it was night time. After following and killing some Murfree Brood members, they found a little spot called Beaver Hollow, a cave not that far from Annesburg. It was a place Charles had scoped out before. Unfortunately, the cave was inhabitated by what Lilly called "a pack of Broods" because they were little more than predatory animals. Charles pulled out his binoculars.

"Hmm, that's the stagecoach went missin'," he whispered.

He'd mentioned something before about a stagecoach from Annesburg going missing, along with plenty of people going missing in the area. This was nothing new to Lilly, of course. People disappeared around there all the time.

Arthur grabbed the binoculars to take a look. "Jesus..." he said in shock. "They must be in the cave."

Lilly took out her own binoculars and saw mutilates bodies. "Yep, typical Murfree Broods. It's their idea of decoratin'."

"Jesus, woman, don't nothin' surprise you?"

Lilly chuckled deeply. "You sure as shit did back up in Colter."

Charles snorted and turned his head away while Arthur merely shook his own at his wife. "Alright...let's get on with this."

"Okay, what you think?" Charles asked him. "We can head into the cave, or flush 'em out with dynamite."

Arthur took a moment before saying anything. "Let's surprise 'em in there."

"Okay," Charles said. "Let's get a little closer. Ready?"

Lilly smiled as they slunked nearer to the cave. "Game faces on, boys."

The wolves opened their jaws and bared their white fangs. The moonlight glistened off their teeth which made them look even more menacing. Their hackles went up and their muscles tensed as they slowly walked. Lilly pulled out her bow and notched three arrows. Charles pulled out a tomahawk and Arthur brought out a bow. Lilly nodded, making a face of approval. They crouched and closed in just as someone was coming out of the cave. Lilly let an arrow fly and it thunked into the man's skull. The five of them pushed forward into the entrance. Arthur got ahead and took out two men with one arrow. That highly impressed Lilly. The next two Broods spotted him though and raised the alarm before Arthur shot them both with his revolvers. Lilly heard a woman screaming.

"Someone's down there, she's alive!" Charles shouted.

They stood their ground as more enemies came running. "Boys, go get 'em!" Lilly demanded.

Brian and James charged forward and pounced on the first two that came through the narrow alcove ahead of them, and Lilly let two arrows go towards the next two that came up. They both hit their marks with a shoof and a thunk sound. Arthur and Charles attacked more and Lilly rearmed her bow as Brian took on another Brood member. James tackled one more and ripped out the throat. Lilly heard movement behind her and as she turned, a machete stabbed her just under her bosom. She screamed out, backed up, and yanked the machete out of her. Lilly's wound instantly began to heal and she sneered at the man who stared at her, wide eyed with fear and confusion. She hadn't thought a being such as him could feel fear.

Lilly pointed at him with a chuckle. "Now that was _rude_."

The man backed up a few steps and Lilly charged him, machete in hand. She ran him through with the weapon and pulled it out as he slunk to the cave floor. Lilly headed further in and watched as Arthur, Charles, and the wolves kept fighting the remaining Murfrees. There was still someone screaming further down and she saw a cage.

"You alright, Lilly?" Arthur shouted as he came to her. "I heard you scream."

"Oh, I'm fine, my love. Just, uh, got pricked by a prick, so I pricked him back."

Arthur examined her and saw the cut in her shirt. "Did he get the-"

"No, they're fine too," she cooed. "Ya see a cage down there? She was in my vision this mornin'."

Arthur chuckled and kissed her lips softly. "Charles, you see any more of 'em?" Arthur yelled out to him, turning away from his wife.

"Not for now. Come on, let's get that poor girl out of the cage," Charles yelled in response.

The three gang members and the wolves walked up to the cage to find the young blonde woman in it. "Stay away from me," she sobbed.

Arthur frowned and held up his hands. "It's okay, miss," he spoke softly.

"Please don't kill me!" she sobbed again.

"Just calm down. We ain't goin' to hurt you."

The girl stared at the wolves and Lilly sighed. "Brian, James, go stand guard, would ya?"

The boys turned and ran back towards the entrance. Lilly looked back at the girl. "It's alright, lass. No one's gonna hurt ya."

Arthur cut the ropes on the cage but the girl screamed again. She stood and backed up as Arthur opened the door. Lilly felt bad for the girl. "It's okay, it's okay, shh," Arthur said softly. Arthur embraced her as she sobbed more. "You're safe. It's okay."

* * *

It was morning, and after getting the girl named Meredith out of the cave, Arthur took her back to Annesburg while Charles left to go get the rest of the gang. Lilly stayed behind with her brothers to clean up, and when that was done, she sat on a box and started eating salted beef. Killing often made her hungry, as did dealing with the aftermath of it. The boys went off on their own, whether to go hunting or to lead the group in or what, she had no idea, so she was left on her own. Still, it didn't take long for Arthur to return with a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong, Arthur?" Lilly asked him.

He grunted as he sat down next to her. "I ran into Mrs. Downes. She looks awful."

"Mr. Downes was married?"

"Yes. Married with a son. Mrs. Downes is, uh, a prostitute now, I guess."

Lilly frowned. "Poor woman."

Arthur rubbed his face. "I think I deserve gettin' sick, Lilly."

Lilly put a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean?"

Arthur looked at her. "Me beatin' up Mr. Downes for the money he owed. He was gonna die anyway, but...I think this is my punishment for that."

Lilly squeezed his hand. "You hush up. You've beaten plenty of people up before. If this is anyone's bad karma, it's mine."

Arthur laughed at her. "I fail to see how you played a role in this."

"Because, Arthur..." Lilly bowed her head. "After Brian died, I, well...I killed a lot of people in his name. Some of them had families. Little kids. There was one in particular who begged for mercy. His wife, Greta, was pregnant. He wanted to see his child be born...but I wouldn't allow it. I killed him, left my mark on the wall, and went on to the next man to kill. Now you might die before these wee ones are born."

"Ah, honey, this ain't your fault. And it ain't Strauss's, neither. It's mine. I chose to beat that man."

Lilly nodded. "I know, but karma or not, it ain't fair. We done more good than bad, I like to think."

"You have. I don't know about me."

Lilly leaned her head on Arthur's shoulder. "You know I collected each newspaper clippin' of all my kills and kept 'em. Even after I came to live with yas, I kept 'em in a box in my dresser drawer."

"You did? Do you still have them?"

"No. I burned them."

"Why?" Arthur asked as he looked at her.

Lilly looked back at Arthur. "Because I found somethin' else to live for."

Arthur smiled and put an arm around her. "You deserve happiness, Lillian. Even if it means I ain't gonna be around to give it to you. Maybe you and Patrick should-"

Lilly put a finger to his lips. "Absolutely not. You remember that day when we went to rob that train up by Colter, after you told the men to not disrespect your woman?"

"Yes. That seems so long ago..."

"You said I was gonna be your last woman because-"

"Ain't no other woman gonna come close to you, I remember," he said. "And I meant every word of it, too."

"Well, ain't no other man gonna come close to you." She kissed his cheek. "And I will not have any other."


	57. Pride

"How you get on?" Dutch asked the married couple as he stood by the front of the cave as others set up the camp.

"Okay," Arthur responded, walking to him with Lilly by his side. "Found a girl, took her home."

"Oh," Dutch said in surprise.

"You and Micah find anythin'?"

"Maybe...I think maybe, I found our old friend Mr. Cornwall."

Lilly gasped. "Seriously?!"

"Mmhmm, and Mr. Pierce and Brutus, too. They are openly working for the man now. Anyway, Cornwall is buyin' a stake in the mine at Annesburg."

Arthur chuckled. "Relentlessly ambitious feller, isn't he?"

"Micah and I'll sniff about, see if he knows we're here, and exactly what his plans are."

"Sooo, Dutch!" Molly screamed in the background. Lilly turned around with Arthur. Molly was seriously drunk and staggering over. "Did you miss me?!"

Uncle came walking behind Molly. "I found her, drunk in Saint Denis."

"You're back. How jolly, Miss O'Shea," Dutch said bitterly.

Molly closed in on Dutch. "It's Molly, you sack of shit!"

"Back and drunk!"

"Da..." Lilly said. "Ya know, I wasna payin' much attention to ya two lately, but are ya both on the outs?"

"More or less," Dutch said.

"Who made you the master, the Lord God Almighty?!" Molly barked out drunkenly.

"Molly, calm down."

"I won't be ignored, Dutch van der Linde! I aren't him," she pointed at Micah, "I ain't her," she pointed at Mary-Beth, "or any of your stooges!"

Lilly almost wanted to laugh. "Calm yourself, miss!" Dutch exclaimed.

"You don't owe me nothin', I don't owe you nothin'! Nothin'!"

"Okay!"

"I'll spit in your eye! I did! I told them!" Molly shouted, pacing back and forth as she glared at Dutch angrily in her drunken state.

Lilly blinked a few times. "I'm sorry?" Dutch snarled.

"Yeah I told 'em, and I'd tell 'em again! Now I've got God's ear!"

"You told who what?"

"Mr. Milton and Mr. Ross...about the bank robbery...and I wanted them to kill you!"

Dutch pulled out his gun. "You did what?!"

"I loved you, you god damn bastard! Go on, shoot me!"

Arthur put a hand on Dutch's shoulder. "She's crazy, she ain't worth it."

"You told on me?! You betrayed me?!" Dutch yelled.

"Oh, you're not so big now, are you?" Molly said.

"Quiet!" Arthur yelled at Molly. "Lilly, get her to be quiet!"

Lilly heard a crow caw and she looked up. There were some crows in the trees. "Oh shit." She got in front of Molly and grabbed her. "Molly, you need to shut up right now! Tóg é ar ais! Déanfaidh siad tú a mharú!" _[Take it back! They will kill you!]_

Molly shoved her off. "Ní bheidh mé! Ba mhaith liom a bheith lámhaigh!" _[I will not! I want to be shot!]_

"You don't mean that, Molly!"

"I do!"

Lilly heard the click of a shotgun. "Lilly, move out of the way," Miss Grimshaw said.

Lilly turned around and put Molly behind her. "I will not! Da, please! She is obviously drunk out of her gourd! Ya canna believe what she's sayin' just now!"

"You know the rules, Lilly!" Dutch snapped.

"Oh, not so big now, are we, your majesty!?" Molly yelled.

Lilly turned around and grabbed her. "ENOUGH MOLLY! SHUT UP!" Lilly's voice boomed.

Molly did as she was told and Lilly turned back around, holding Molly behind her. There was no way Molly was a rat. She couldn't believe it. "Da, she is drunk. Let me just-"

Molly got out from behind Lilly and Susan shot Molly. Lilly gasped and jumped out of the way, holding her mouth. Molly collapsed to the ground and Lilly went to her side. "No..." Lilly gasped. She bowed her head and shut Molly's dead eyes. "What have ya done?!" Lilly turned to Miss Grimshaw, shocked anger burning in her eyes.

"She knew the rules, Lilly! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Miss Grimshaw snapped. "Mr. Pearson, Mr. Williamson, get this body outta here and get it burnt! Now get back to work, all of ya!"

Lilly shut her eyes, opened them, then went to pull out her gun but Arthur grasped her hand tightly to the holster as he knelt down to her. "Lillian. Ná déan é." _[Don't do it.]_

"Ach mharaigh Grimshaw í. Ní francach é Molly." _[But Grimshaw killed her. Molly is not a rat.]_

"Níl a fhios agat sin." _[You don't know that.]_

Pearson and Bill picked up Molly's body and Lilly started to sob. "Bhí fís agam dá bás. Bhí mé ceaptha í a shábháil. Tháinig na préacháin chun rabhadh dom." _[I had a vision for her death. I was supposed to save her. The crows came to warn me.]_

Arthur wrapped his arms around her and sighed. "Even so...she had Dutch's ear," Arthur whispered

"Not lately," Lilly whispered back.

Arthur nodded. "Lilly, I know you was supposed to save her, but we can't change what's done. We can only move on. Okay?"

Lilly released her gun and wiped her eyes. "Okay."

Lilly and Arthur stood up and walked over to their tent. "If you really think she wasn't the rat and snake, then I believe you," he whispered.

"But...why did ya let her die?"

"I tried to reason with Dutch, I did. I didn't think Miss Grimshaw was actually gonna shoot her until Dutch said so."

Lilly wiped her eyes. "But Arthur, she died for nothin'."

"No, she didn't. Whoever really ratted us all out will feel safer, thinkin' theys outta danger. We will use that to our advantage."

Lilly squinted her eyes at him, then she gave him a melancholy smile. "That's a bright idea. See? You ain't as dumb as you think you are."

Arthur smiled and kissed her forehead. "Thank you. Now," Arthur said, "can I wiggle into your hole now, please?"

Lilly couldn't help but laugh. "God damn bithiúnach..."

Arthur chuckled suggestively and dragged her into the tent.

* * *

After making love to his wife, Arthur just laid there and watched her sleep. He caressed her cheek and kissed her softly. He was going to miss her when he was dead. Arthur was sure there was an afterlife after all he'd seen in the past four months, but he hoped to end up in Tír na NÓg so that when Lilly died, they'd be together again. If she could even die. Arthur got up and dressed in brown fancy pants, a black button down shirt, his leather maroon legion vest, and black western boots. He went outside and shaved his beard. He stared at his hair which was now medium length and had the curly J's that Lilly seemed to love so very much. After walking around camp, Mary-Beth asked if he wanted to talk and he accepted, so Arthur sat down next to Mary-Beth.

"You okay, Arthur?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied.

"You don't look okay."

Arthur knew he wasn't okay, health wise. He'd seen how pale his skin was and how blood shot his eyes had become, and he knew people were worried. "Ah, I'm fine."

"What you been doin'?"

"Heh. Actin' like a fool."

"How so?" she asked him.

"Oh, I've been robbin' a bunch of people who didn't deserve it. Takin' the easy money. I just wanna hurry it up so we can get to Ireland, you know? It's so pretty there and I'd like to see it before I...you know..."

"My, you have been busy."

"Well, that's one way of lookin' at it."

"You're a good man, Arthur."

"I...I don't feel in control. I mean, I'm...I'm dyin'. Lilly's gonna be so devastated when I die," Arthur said.

"Well, didn't she say she found some new treatments?" Mary-Beth asked him enthusiastically.

"Yes, but I don't know if those will work, and if they don't, I don't want her losin' her mind for hopin' too much."

"Just stay calm and do what you do best."

"Seems I'm best at mayhem. Sure I'm no better than Micah."

"Yes you are. Just do what you gotta do."

"We'll see." Arthur got up and started walking around, coughing a little as he did. He looked in his tent again and saw Lilly and the boys were still asleep, so he left them alone. He saw Leopold Strauss sitting on a log so he went over to see if he needed to get any more debts collected.

"Mr. Morgan!" Strauss said happily.

"Herr Strauss," Arthur replied glumly.

"How are you?"

"About," Arthur walked over the log and sat next to the Austrian man, "about how I look."

"Okay. Are you, um, are you perhaps available for some work, seeing as how I lost my other debt collector?"

"I guess."

"Your commitment to your duties is admirable. You know, Mr. Morgan, you are, well, I'm sorry for you and Mrs. Morgan."

Arthur sighed. "I ain't dead yet, but thank you, I guess."

"If I had known the man was sick, I would have sent Mrs. Morgan and not you. She's the one who can cheat death. And, well...she has a subtler touch."

"Yeah, but we didn't know none of that at the time. Still, it is what it is."

"Is it true she bought an armful of books about new tuberculosis treatments?" Strauss asked with a hopeful tone.

Arthur cackled. "Yes she did."

"Do you think she is immune to it? She seems to have no qualms about catching it."

"She's never been sick for as long as I've known her, so I reckon she might be."

"Never? Not even a cold?"

"Nope."

"Huh. Well, I hope your children get her strong immune system."

"Thanks. Now, the debtors, Strauss. Who owes you money?"

"Yes." Strauss removed his glasses for a moment to wipe his eye. "There's a deserter from Fort Wallace. Head to him first. They're looking for him out on the road near Three Sisters. Man's name is J. John Weathers."

"J. John Weathers," Arthur repeated.

"Then there's a miner over in Annesburg. He's called, well, he's called Arthur, like you! Heh heh, Arthur Londonderry. Family man, desperate. You know the type."

* * *

Lilly woke up with Arthur's side of the bed empty, but at least Brian and James were with her. Lilly sighed and sat up, making an "oof" sound as the children in her womb moved about. It made her giggle. She got dressed in a blue button down shirt, blue jeans and black western boots. The clothes were new and a bigger size than normal. Lilly brushed her hair and let it stay loose. She walked out of the tent, letting the boys sleep, and looked around for Arthur. When she didn't see him or his horse Rose, she made a sour face. Did Arthur go out on a job? If he did, she was going to be very pissed off when he got back. Lilly approached Hosea. "Hey, you see Arthur anywhere?"

Hosea looked up at her with a smile. "No, sorry. I did see him leave earlier, though. Everythin' alright?"

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "He should be resting." Lilly started to shout. "Does anyone know where my husband went?!"

Lenny walked up to her. "I think he uh, went to go collect some debts for Strauss."

Lilly's face went pale. "HE WHAT?!"

Lenny cringed. "I said I-"

"I know what ya said, Lenny!" Lilly brushed past him. "STRAUSS! WHERE ARE YA, YA AUSTRIAN BASTARD?!"

Strauss poked his head out from behind a wagon. He looked frightened, as he should be. "Y-yes, Mrs. Morgan?"

Lilly marched over to him angrily and he started backing up. "Ya feckin' weasel! Ya sent me husband out on debt collections?!"

"Y-yes, I-I did. But no one else would go and I didn't think you would want to go."

"If it meant me husband got tah stay here, I would have gladly gone, Mr. Strauss! But no! Ya was too chicken shit tah ask me!"

Strauss fell over a boulder and Lilly got in his face as she bent over him. "Mrs. Morgan, please!"

"Don't ya beg me, ya sorry sack of shit! Oh, how I'd love tah pummel ya tah smithereens, I would! Next time ya got debts tah collect, ya ask me, ya fuck!"

"It won't come to that," Arthur said behind her.

Lilly turned around slowly. "Yer supposed tah be restin'! What are ya-"

"Lillian, be quiet," he said in a restrained voice. Lilly saw the look in his eyes and immediately shut her mouth. He was mad, and his anger was directed at Strauss.

Strauss sat up and smiled. "Ah, how did you get on, Mr. Morgan?"

"Just dandy," Arthur said with a scowl. "Just...get up."

Strauss looked up at him. "What?"

Arthur grabbed him by the arm and picked him up. "Get up!"

"What, what is wrong?" Strauss asked, carrying his book as Arthur manhandled him along.

"Nothin's wrong. Nothin' at all."

Lilly followed the two, confused by what was happening. "What are you doing?" Strauss asked loudly.

"Somethin' I should'a done a long time ago!" Arthur shoved him by Strauss' cart. "Get your bag!" Arthur looked at it. "Is this it?!"

"I don't understand..."

Arthur started putting Strauss' belongings in the bag he picked up. "I ain't gonna kill ya...though I probably should. You disgust me! And you shame us if we could be shamed any more than we already are!" Arthur grabbed the ledger and shoved it in Strauss' bag, then handed it to Strauss aggressively. "That should do. Go!"

Arthur pursued the man as Strauss walked backwards. Lilly watched with her jaw dropped at her husband's actions. "I don't understand you...what are you doing?" Strauss demanded to know.

Arthur grabbed him and walked him out of camp. "Go and get a job!" Arthur threw the man out.

Strauss went forward but turned around. "You know...they-they say the sick delude themselves. I was your friend."

"You and me, we ain't decent, but those folk? They was." Arthur pulled out some money and tossed it to the Austrian. "Now here. Take that. Take that and get lost!"

Strauss picked it up. "I'm-"

"Leavin'," Arthur finished for him. Strauss hesitantly walked away and Arthur started coughing and wheezing. He turned around and looked at his wife sadly. "I'm sorry, darlin', I know I wasn't supposed to-"

Lilly interrupted him and kissed him softly. "Líonann tú mé le bród, Mo Fhear Álainn." _[You fill me with pride, My Beautiful Man.]_

Arthur smiled at her. "Really? You're proud of me?"

"Yes, I am."

Arthur put an arm around her and smiled. "Well shucks, woman."

Lilly giggled and kissed him. "Now, I'm gonna go see about some goats."

Arthur didn't let her go. "Well, thing is...I gotta go see Sadie about John. She's in Saint Denis."

Lilly sighed. "No, I will do that for you, Arthur. You need your rest. Please? I told Da that Adair and I would overtake all your responsibilities."

"You what?" Arthur snapped. "Lilly, I ain't dead yet!"

Lilly shut her eyes, counted to ten in her head, took a deep breath, then opened them again. "Arthur. Be reasonable."

"No, Lilly! I ain't lettin' you do everythin' for me! You need rest too! You're pregnant!"

"Oh, stop bein' so pigheaded!" Lilly snapped.

"I'm not bein' pigheaded! I just don't need a nanny!" Arthur snapped back.

"I ain't bein a nanny, ya god damn bastard! I'm bein' yer wife!"

"Yes you are, ya god damn overbearin' cow!"

Lilly's eyes widened. "Did ya just call me a cow?!"

"Yes! Moo!"

Lilly growled at him. "Oh, ya stubborn, impossible son of a bitch!"

"Fuckin' belligerent demimondaine!"

"Oh, do ya have a dictionary now, ya stupid, sorry excuse of a swine?!" Lilly barked out.

"No! I just happen to have a much bigger vocabulary than I let on, you pathological bitch!" Arthur barked back.

"Ugh! I hate ya, Arthur Morgan!"

"I hate you too!"

"Oh, go fuck off, then!" Lilly turned on her heel and walked to her horse Liath.

"And just where are you goin'?" Arthur asked her in a rage as he followed her.

"Out to buy some fuckin' goats fer yer god damn treatment, ya inconsiderate gobshite!"

"Don't you talk that way to me, missy! I'll take you over my knee and spank you, ya empty headed cave woman!" Arthur yelled as he followed her.

Lilly glared at him. "It's a little late tah demand how I talk tah yas, ain't it?! And I'll hit ya with a club and drag ya tah me cave if ya try tah strike me, Arthur Morgan!"

"Woa woa woa!" Sean got in between them both. "You two need to calm down!"

"Shut yer gob, Sean!" Lilly yelled. "I ain't gonna calm down!"

"Lillian, you-" Arthur stopped because he started wheezing and coughing. "Lillian, you aren't-" Arthur fell to his knees as his coughing became more violent.

Lilly ran to him and held him by the shoulders. "Oh Arthur, dammit! Breathe, babe, breathe!"

Arthur covered his mouth as blood came flying out. People started heading over and Lilly watched in horror as her husband collapsed and passed out.

* * *

Arthur slowly regained consciousness and looked over at his wife sitting in a chair next to the bed. She looked terrified and regretful.

"I'm sorry for overexertin' ya, Arthur," she said sadly.

Arthur frowned. He felt bad that she felt guilty and he grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry too, mo stór." The sick man took his time sitting up. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours."

"You been here the whole time?"

"Of course I have. I'm your wife."

Arthur sighed. "C'mere," he said.

Lilly sat down next to Arthur and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her gently. "I'm sorry I called you a cow."

"And I'm sorry I called you stupid. Are you feelin' better?"

"Sort of."

Lilly reached into his satchel on the side of the bed and pulled out a shot. "I'm gonna give you an injection." Lilly removed the cup, squirted out some of the medicine, and pierced Arthur's skin. He hissed as she injected him with it and then removed it, setting the empty syringe on the nightstand. "There, that'll help you feel better."

Arthur nodded. "Bean chéile, ní féidir liom a bheith sa leaba i gcónaí." _[Wife, I can't always be in bed.]_

"Ach dúirt an dochtúir go bhfuil scíth ag teastáil uait." _[But the doctor said you need rest.]_

"Nach raibh cleachtadh de dhíth orm san aer sléibhe?" _[Didn't I need exercise in the mountain air?]_

Lilly blinked at him. "Well, yes, but I-"

"But nothin'. Lilly, I can't stand the thought of bein' on bed rest and not doin' anythin'. I need to do somethin'. Please."

Lilly sighed. "Is this your pride talkin'?"

"Yes. And you know all about that. How I was coddlin' you up in Colter and with your pregnancy. You don't like it either."

Lilly chuckled. "True, but I'm not the one who's..." Her head bowed down.

When he realized Lilly couldn't finish her sentence, Arthur lifted her chin with a finger. "I'm not dead yet."

Lilly nodded with a sad smile. "Alright. If you're up for it, go see Sadie. I'll go see about those goats." Arthur and Lilly got up and walked from the tent...and were greeted by three goats. "What the fuck?"

Hosea had them leashed in his hand and smiled. "You wanted goats? We got you goats. And," Hosea handed Lilly a book. She read title out loud.

"A Guide To Pasteurize Milk For Beginners." Lilly blinked a few times and looked at Hosea. "Oh Athair...I...thank you."

Lilly hugged Hosea and he wheezed. "Sweetheart, you're welcome, but...that's a little too tight. I also got a bucket and pouches to store the milk."

Lilly let him go and cringed. "Sorry." She looked down at the goats. "Well, what should we name you little lassies?"

* * *

Lilly began to build a paddock for the goats with Sean and Hosea's help, and they were done in no time. Once the goats were in, Lilly started milking one of them. Then she took the milk and heated it over one of the fires. When it boiled, she removed it from the flames to cool, and when that was done, she poured them into the pouches made out of some animal's stomach. Lilly didn't ask what kind of animal it was. Then she started doing chores around the camp and even checked in on Kieran, helping him brush the horses down.

"So, how are you gettin' along?" Lilly asked him.

"As well as I can be. In fact, my hearin' has gotten a lot better. My sense of smell got better, too. It's the strangest thing," Kieran said.

"Well, I heard that can happen when someone goes blind."

"Really?" Kieran said with mild surprise in his tone. "Do you know why?"

"Mmm, somethin' about the other senses tryin' to compensate."

"Huh. Well I'll be."

Lilly got closer to him. "But seriously, though, how are you?"

Kieran paused his brushing. "I'm alive, thanks to you, and I'm grateful. It's hard bein' blind but I'm makin' it work."

Lilly nudged him and giggled. "Is it true you and Mary-Beth are sweet on each other?"

Kieran paused again with a blush on his cheeks. "Well, she is, I think, but what good is a blind man to her?"

Lilly pressed a hand on his shoulder. "If she doesn't care about that, then why should you?"

"Huh. I suppose you're right."

When they were done, Lilly decided to go into Annesburg with the wolves just to see what a mining town looked like. It wasn't much to look at, but hell, she'd never seen a mining town before so who was she to judge? Some people gawked and steered clear of her. She ran into Arthur on the way to the actual mine and, with a big smile, jumped into his arms with a kiss.

"Hey! I thought you were goin' to Saint Denis to meet Sadie," she said to him.

"I was, but I gotta take care of somethin' here first," he said glumly.

"What is it?"

"Mrs. Downes and her son. I...I feel like I owe them. Her son is workin' the mines and she's...well, she's a prostitute now. I don't remember if I told you about that."

Lilly shrugged. "Me neither, but that sounds terrible. What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna go see her son. Apparently the foreman ain't that nice to him. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when I get there, though."

Lilly linked arms with him. "Well, I'll come with for support."

Arthur beamed at her. "Thank you."

The two made the rest of the way together in silence, but Lilly could tell that her husband was, well, distraught in his own way. They'd gotten in view of the entrance when Arthur pointed the son out.

"Hey boy," a man said to Mrs. Downes son, then the man cackled. "Hey boy, you're mom's a whore, little boy."

"Be quiet, Mr. Dockery," the boy said angrily.

"Oooh, your mom's a whore and that's a god damn fact!"

"Hey, anyone wanna go get lucky tonight, go home with Archie...hahaha."

"Be quiet, please!"

"Why don't you shut up?" Arthur said to the men swarming around the Downes boy like a pack of wolves.

An "ooo" sound erupted from the crowd. "Who's this, your daddy?" Mr. Dockery asked.

"My daddy died." Archie pointed at Arthur. "And this man, he killed him. What are you doin' here?"

"Leave the boy alone," Arthur said.

"Why'd you kill his daddy?" Mr. Dockery asked Arthur. He shoved Archie. "You after his mama?"

Some of the men chuckled. "Stop bullying the boy," Arthur said hoarsely.

"Get outta my business, mister." The man went to hit the kid but Arthur interrupted him.

"Leave...the boy...alone!" Arthur demanded.

The foreman approached Arthur. "Or what?" Brian and James snarled at the man and he jumped back. "Jesus Christ, what the hell?"

Lilly sighed. "Boys, behave yourselves. Let Arthur handle this."

The boys backed up, as did Lilly. Arthur spat on the ground and closed the gap between him and the foreman. "Or I'll kill you too."

"You couldn't kill no one," the foreman said. "Look at you, all ragged and sick and weak. Clear off, you god damn hermit. Clear off! You, and the whore's son here!"

The man shoved Lilly's husband. "Oh shit, you're in for it now," Lilly said.

Arthur threw a hard punch into the man's face as someone held Archie back. The two engaged in a fist battle as Lilly watched with her arms crossed, confident of her husband's fighting capabilities. Even when a second guy tried to beat up Arthur, Lilly watched with a yawn as her strong Arthur fought off both the men and soon enough, Arthur knocked the foreman to the ground and he charged the others.

"Now who's next?" Arthur yelled. "Let the boy go," he demanded as he pointed at Archie. When the man refused, Arthur charged him. "Let him go!" The man let go of the boy and the men went running into the mine. "Come with me," Arthur told Archie. "Shame on you! He's just a god damn boy!" Arthur belted at the workers before turning and walking past Archie. "Let's get you outta here."

"They're gonna kill me," Archie said. "Now I got no job and they're gonna kill me!"

"I've got some money..." Arthur unhitched a brown horse, "...you and your momma can go someplace nice."

"Well why are you doin' this?"

"I don't know. Listen...take this," Arthur handed Archie money. "All of it. Try and talk to your momma and get outta here!" Archie mounted up. "Now run!"

"I'll try."

"Alright, good boy. I don't wanna see you here again!" Arthur yelled as Archie raced off.

Lilly looked at Arthur with a smile. "That was mighty nice of you, Arthur," she said and brushed her palm against his bruised cheek. "Once again, you fill me with pride, mo ghrá."


	58. Sisika Penitentiary

"Any problems comin' in?" Sadie asked Arthur as him and Lilly got to Doyle's tavern.

"Nah," replied Arthur.

"Guess they know now we ain't in the city."

"Who? Mr. Milton's friends?"

All three people leaned against the bar counter. "Yeah, they've had patrols out ever since you boys disappeared. Well, at least you're alive," said Sadie.

"For now, yeah."

Lilly smacked Arthur's chest gently. "Would you stop that?" she asked sternly.

Arthur looked at Lilly. He was displeased, but he huffed in remorse. "Sorry."

Lilly decided to keep silent for the rest of the conversation. Sadie spoke up again. "What happened in..."

"Guarma?" Arthur finished the sentence for Mrs. Adler.

"Yeah."

Arthur coughed. "Nothin' nice."

"What happened to Dutch? 'Cause he seems..."

"I don't know. Seems as...what began happenin' in Blackwater, began happenin' in Guarma. A quick decline, I guess." Arthur walked towards the door and the girls followed.

Lilly frowned as she talked. "Now wait a minute, Arthur. This "quick decline" isn't his fault."

"I know," Arthur said with exasperation, "because of the snake."

Sadie looked at them both with a puzzled expression. "The snake? What snake?"

Lilly sighed. "It's a long fuckin' story if I'm bein' honest, Sadie. So what happened when we disappeared?"

"I started gatherin' people up as best I could after you left. And John...you know that part." The three walked down the street to their horses and mounted up. "Follow me," Sadie said.

Arthur and Lilly trailed after Sadie through the streets of Saint Denis. "So, what's your plan here?" Arthur asked Mrs. Adler.

"Well, I figure before we do anythin', we need to make sure John's even still at this prison."

"And how do we do that?" Arthur asked skeptically.

"We need to get up high enough to get a proper look at the place."

"What?" Arthur laughed. "It's on an island, ain't it? Unless you're plannin' on learnin' how to fly."

Sadie grinned. "That's exactly what we're gonna do. I've found us a hot air balloon."

Lilly's face automatically scrunched up. "Wait a minute, why do we need a hot air balloon? Adair can fly."

Sadie gave yet another grin. "The hot air balloon is just a distraction for Adair to get John out."

Arthur's jaw dropped. "You ain't serious..."

Sadie nodded. "Now the pilot, or whatever you call him, he thinks we're just in it for a lesson, a bit of a tour." Sadie let out a giggle. "He's quite the character. I think you'll like him. Anyway, you fly in, Adair stays on the shore hidden, and when you see John, you give Adair a signal and hold the guards off while she grabs John. Adair can either put him in the balloon or fly him out on her own. Think Adair can handle that, Lilly?"

 _"I can, and I will,"_ Adair said in Lilly's head.

"She's all for it," said Lilly.

"Yeah but how is she gonna go in unseen?" Arthur asked.

 _"I will shapeshift in an animal, of_ _course,"_ Adair spoke again in Lilly's head.

"She's gonna shapeshift," Lilly conveyed to her husband.

"Oh. Wait, she can fully shapeshift? Into what?"

_"Every animal on this earth_ _," Adair said._

"Every animal on this earth," Lilly repeated.

Arthur chortled, shook his head, then looked at Sadie. "You know...I'm impressed. You've really stepped things up, ain't you?" Arthur said to Sadie.

"Hey, we didn't know if you was even comin' back," Mrs. Adler said. "We basically lost our leader, our co-leader, the right hand man, the left hand woman, and almost every able bodied man in the group. Karen gone fully into the bottle from Sean bein' gone, Strauss was a bag of nerves, Swanson...well, Swanson's actually gone and cleaned up his act. So I guess it ain't all gone to shit. I'm just happy you were able to find us."

Lilly blinked a few times. "But things should be back to normal soon, I should think."

"Not with the way Dutch has been actin'. Somethin' is goin' on with him. He's changed."

So Lilly, Arthur and Hosea weren't the only ones who noticed something was going on. Lilly sighed. "Well, I might as well tell you now. Someone or somethin' is influencin' Da."

Sadie looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I had a vision about a snake whisperin' in his ear. And we got a rat, which is the same person as the snake."

"Well, shit."

"Yeah."

"Oh, by the way, I've been huntin' O'Driscoll boys. Killed two of the sons of bitches at a camp site last week."

"What?" Arthur asked with shock in his voice.

"Yeah, seems they've drifted down this way now."

"You've been a busy woman, Mrs. Adler."

Lilly spotted the yellow and white striped hot air balloon and smiled. "Wow."

Sadie chuckled. "She a beauty, ain't she?"

"From here on the ground, yes," Arthur commented.

The three people got off their horses. "Mr. Bullard!" Sadie called out.

"Hmm?" a man in the balloon basket lifted his head. Lilly thought he looked a little ridiculous with his pilot hat and glasses.

"Mr. Bullard."

"Ah, Mrs. Adler. It's good to see you, good to see you," Mr. Bullard said as he climbed out.

"These are my friends I told you about. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan."

"Ah yes, Arturo Bullard, at your service, sir," he bowed, "madam, at your service."

"Arthur Morgan," Arthur introduced himself. "This is my wife, Lilly."

Mr. Bullard put a hand on Arthur's shoulder and looked at the balloon. "Well, it's a nice fresh day for flying, sir." Arturo escorted Arthur to the basket. "A day like today and Icarus would have made it across the sea."

Lilly snorted and looked at Sadie. "Guess that's a good sign for Adair to be flyin' today."

"Of course," responded Sadie.

Lilly looked over at Arthur. "Mo chuisle. Cad é an comhartha?" _[My pulse. What is the sign?]_

"Croith," Arthur replied. _[Wave.]_

"Okay." The men continued their conversation and Lilly laughed at Mr. Bullard saying women couldn't fly and that Mrs. Adler was a "delicate flower". When they ascended in the balloon, Lilly and Sadie burst into hysterics. "Delicate flower, my ass. Wait til that guy sees Adair!"

* * *

"Now, one hates to be coarse, but on the subject of ablutions. Liquids over the side, solids...do your utmost to levee the situation until we land," Mr. Bullard explained.

This made Arthur laugh a little as he held on the chain to go higher. "Okay, Mr. Bullard."

"I had a client once who fell foul to a rotten oyster on the ascent. A decidedly harrowing experience for all involved. Keep going, sir. We need to get up above the clouds. It really is stunning up there, you'll have seen nothing like it."

As they got higher into the clouds Arthur took a look down and his eyes went wide. Not only was the view of the earth below beautiful, but he saw Adair flying through the air and that sight was amazing. Her wing span was bigger than he originally thought. Arthur saw her auburn hair flowing in the wind as she looked up and gave him a wave. "Oh...my God," Arthur said in astonishment.

"Yes, heavenly indeed. Quite remarkable, isn't it?" Mr. Bullard said, obviously not seeing what Arthur was looking at. If he had been, he'd be losing his head over it. "And feels like we have a nice westerly wind so keep her around this height. This particular vessel is state of the art, sir, imported from Europe. You won't find more than a couple of these on this side of the...oh my, that's a rather large bird down there, isn't it?"

Arthur laughed. "It sure is."

* * *

Adair smiled up at Arthur before increasing her flying speed by descending down. She laughed from the wind rushing through her hair as she dropped before opening her wings and coming to a stop for a moment. Adair spotted the island, hummed with excitement and began oscillating her wings again, heading in the direction of the island.

* * *

"So, if I may ask, what got you interested in the pursuit of aviation?" Mr. Bullard inquired of Arthur.

"I didn't exactly. Mrs. Adler thought she'd surprise me," Arthur replied. Arthur could see the island now.

"A very nice woman, and no shrinking violet."

"Definitely not."

"I prefer slightly more feminine attire on a lady, but variety is the spice of life, as they say. Or is it though? Did you know they locked up the man who wrote that in a mental asylum?"

"I did not, Mr. Bullard."

"See that building up ahead on the island? That's the infamous Sisika Penitentiary." Something must have caught Bullard's eye because he moved over to the south side and took off his glasses. "My God, that large bird we saw earlier isn't a bird at all. It's a...it's a woman!" he gasped. "And she's flying! She'll catch the vapors for sure is she's not careful!"

This made Arthur burst into laughter.

* * *

Adair landed on the shore of the island just south of a barn, making sure she was not seen. She cracked her neck as her wings shrunk into her back. She shivered from the feeling and started losing height. Her body shrunk into that of a red hawk with deep, sapphire blue eyes. She flew up onto the barn and kept a lookout, seeing the air balloon hovering near. With her sharp eyesight, she saw Arthur pull out his binoculars while the other man seemed to be panicking. She waited for the sign. After a few minutes, he waved and pointed down at where John was supposed to be. Suddenly there were bells and Adair saw John get on his belly in the fields. Bullets started flying toward the balloon. She had to hurry. Adair changed into her regular form and jumped down from the barn, running toward the man. Her wings came out and she picked him up and flew up. John let out a squeal and Adair laughed as her wings flapped.

"Do not get hysterical, Mr. Marston," she said to John.

"A-A-Adair?" John looked up at her. "What the hell? You got wings?!"

Adair laughed. "Yes, you silly mortal, I-" Bullets started zinging around them and Adair got higher. "Hang on, I shall get you to Arthur and Mr. Bullard."

Adair zigzagged through the air towards the hot air balloon. Arthur was reaching out for John when he shouted at her. "Adair watch out!"

Adair turned her head and saw a giant chained arrow strike her leg and puncture it. She screamed out and almost lost her grip on John. She was close enough to throw him. "Arthur! Catch!" she yelled and she threw John into the air.

* * *

Arthur held out his arm as far as he could as John was hurled towards the balloon. John was actually screaming and if not for the direness of the situation, Arthur would have laughed at him. Arthur clasped hands with John and the basket shook about, scaring Mr. Bullard into a fit. "This is most irregular indeed, sir!" Mr. Bullard yelled.

Arthur pulled John in and watched as another chained spike hit Adair in the wing. He started shooting at the guards operating the shooting mechanism but Adair went down all the same. How could things like that actually hurt a goddess? He watched in horror as he saw a familiar face through his binoculars. Leviticus Cornwall. Arthur made Mr. Bullard let go of the balloon chain. "Take me down! I need to go get her!"

"But Arthur!" John said. "We can't!"

"I am not leavin' my wife alone with Cornwall! He'll kill her!" Arthur barked angrily.

"That's your wife?!" Mr. Bullard asked in a high pitched tone of voice.

"Yes! Now take me down!" John grabbed the balloon chain and pulled. "John, what are you doin'?!"

"You'll just get killed goin' down there!" John snapped. "Now how's that gonna help Lilly and Adair?!"

"But I can't just...he'll kill her!"

"Arthur, we can't do anythin' for her now, but we will get her back."

"He's right, you know," came a familiar voice. Arthur, Mr. Bullard and John turned to see The Morrigan standing in the basket. "Hello, Arthur."

Arthur approached her. "Morrigan. They've got Adair! How did they take her down?"

"Iron. Those things were made of iron."

"Excuse me, but do you mind telling me what in the bloody hell is going on? I'm shaking like a leaf! My heart is pounding! I-"

The Morrigan pressed a hand to man's forehead. "Sleep." Mr. Bullard shut his eyes and slumped down. "There. Now, those weapons were made of iron. It burns us on contact, and if enough gets in or on us, we can die. Technically."

"Wait, what?" Arthur asked. "I thought you guys were immortal?"

"Immortal, yes. Invulnerable, no."

"So what about those gems they used on Lilly?"

"Those are enchanted gems, and unfortunately I have no idea how they got their hands on such items. Whoever enchanted them, whoever is working with Leviticus, knows old magic."

"How old?"

"Old magic that has been around for thousands of years."

"Jesus Christ," Arthur said. "So, how do we get her back? Cornwall is going to kill her!"

The Morrigan smiled. "Not yet, he won't. Mr. Pierce convinced Leviticus to keep her alive until the twins are born. He doesn't believe in killing innocents, you see."

"Oh thank God!" John said as Arthur kept them at a level height.

"How did he even know we were gonna be here?" Arthur asked.

The Morrigan sighed. "The rat still lives, as does the snake."

Arthur frowned. "So Molly didn't...oh God," Arthur fell on his rump and bent his knees up. "How did they know? How did they fuckin' know?"

* * *

Dutch paced back and forth in his tent, glaring at Sadie, John and Arthur. "I told you to wait. I told you to wait! Now my daughter has been captured! Again!"

Arthur shut his eyes and lowered his head. "I know."

"Dutch, this was my plan. Don't be mad at Arthur," Sadie said.

Dutch turned and growled at Sadie. "I'll be mad at whoever the hell I want!"

"Dutch, calm down," Hosea said. "I'm pretty sure Lilly or Adair can get themselves out easily."

The Morrigan shook her head, sitting on a bookstand. "No, she will not. They have her in iron chains and enchanted collars by now and I am sure Adair is refusing to let Lilly out as a means to protect her, so there is no way Lilly or Adair can free themselves."

Hosea and Dutch stared at the woman. "Who are you?" Hosea asked her.

"I'm The Morrigan, Adair's mother."

Hosea and Dutch both sighed. "Well, is there any way you can help?"

The Morrigan nodded. "Of course I can. But I need an oak tree."

"An oak tree? Why?"

Arthur chuckled. "Visions, I take it?"

Morrigan smiled at Arthur. "Clever man."

"There's plenty of oak trees around. One is by our tent," Arthur stated.

The Morrigan walked out and the group followed them. Jack came running to John and John picked him up. "Hey there kid, I missed ya."

"I missed you too, Pa!" Jack giggled. "Who's that pretty lady?"

"She's someone who's gonna help us find Lilly."

"Did Lilly get taken away again? Is she okay?"

"I hope so."

"Good. We can't go to Ireland without her."

The Morrigan placed a hand on the oak tree next to the Morgan's tent. She shut her eyes as if listening to something only she could hear. A warm breeze came through and seemed to swirl around her, moving her long red hair about. Arthur watched her as did the rest of the camp. "Who is that?" Tilly asked.

"That's the woman who brought Lilly back to life," Arthur explained.

The gang gathered around and murmured at the woman. "Where'd she come from?" Abigail asked him.

"Ireland, I guess."

"What's she doin'?"

"She's uh, you know? I ain't too sure what's she's doin'."

"They are keeping Adair chained in the depths of the prison," The Morrigan said. "Adair, my child, can you hear me?"

Arthur went and stood next to The Morrigan. "Ná é a rá. Níl a fhios againn cé hé an francach," he whispered. _[Do not say it. We don't know who the rat is.]_

"I must say your Gaeilge is coming along nicely, Arthur, but do not worry. The brathadóir and the nathair will not be able to get the word out that I am here." _[The rat and tje snake]_

"Why not?"

The Morrigan opened an eye with a smile on her face. "If they try to, Brian and James have my orders to eat them. But let us talk of this later. I must speak with my daughter."

Arthur nodded and took a step back. "Does she hear you?"

"Yes." The Morrigan shut her eye again. "She is in pain from the iron shackles but she refuses to let Lilly out. Lilly is not happy about it."

Arthur approached again. "Why?"

"Because...oh my, such language," Morrigan said with a chuckle. "What a mouth on that girl."

Arthur laughed. "I can only imagine."

The Morrigan looked at Arthur curiously. "You can do more than imagine, Arthur Morgan. Take my hand." The Morrigan held out her hand and Arthur grabbed it. "Now, put the other one on the tree."

Arthur did as he was told and gasped loudly.

_Lilly sits in darkness, alone. Arthur walks through the darkness and approaches her. "Lilly," he says. "Are you alright?"_

_Lilly lifts her head and gets up. "Arthur? Is that you?"_

_Arthur chuckles. "Yes it's me, woman!"_

_Lilly smiles and runs into him, kissing him with a deep, affectionate kiss. He wraps his arms around her and kisses her as well. "Arthur, how are you here?" she asks him._

_"The Morrigan is connecting us somehow. I'm at an oak tree with her."_

_"Oh. Did John make it?"_

_"Yes, John made it just fine."_

_"Good. Oh, Arthur!" Lilly hugs him tightly and Arthur does the same to her. "I'm sorry for gettin' kidnapped. Again."_

_Arthur chortles. "Don't you worry, mo ghrá. We'll get you out somehow, I promise."_

_Lilly and Arthur kiss again and Lilly giggles. "This is very strange."_

_"Is this what it's like when Adair is out and you're in?"_

_"Sometimes. Which is why I'm so mad that Adair won't let me out."_

_"She's protectin' you and the babies."_

_"I know, but still, I'd feel better if-ow!" Lilly pulls back and touches her arm. "Oh no...they're torturin' her again."_

_"Why?"_

_"To get me to come out. It's how they got her to come out when I was flogged."_

_Arthur gapes at her. "That's why they did that?"_

_"To confirm that I was Adair, yes, but I-ow!" Lilly touches the back of her head. "Assholes..."_

_"Why do they want you to cone out?"_

_"Uncle Levi wants to talk to me and I ain't talkin' to that mother fuckin' mingin."_

_Arthur laughs and holds her close. "Tá grá agam duit," he says to her._ _[I love you.]_

_"Tá grá agam duit," [I love you.] she repeats. "And make sure you drink the goats milk. I made some earlier today, it should be cooled by now."_

_"Arthur, we must not maintain the connection any longer. It will strain your physical body too much if we do," The Morrigan says._

_Arthur kisses Lilly once more. "I'm comin' for you, understand?" he says, holding her face in his hands and kissing her again. "I'm comin' for you, mo stór."_

Arthur took a deep breath and started hacking away as he walked from the tree. He coughed up blood and grabbed his hankerchief, covering his mouth with the cloth. People tried to help him but he waved them off. "I'm okay, just gimme a minute."

He continued coughing as Dutch approached him. "You alright, son?"

Arthur spit on the ground and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...I'm fine."

The Morrigan looked at Dutch and smiled. "Sir, your daughter is safe for the time being, but we must get her out soon. I fear the captivity will put a strain on her and the bairns."

Arthur looked at The Morrigan. "So, what do we do?"

The Morrigan smiled. "She shall be moved by train in three days time to a place called New York City. Leviticus plans on taking her to Ireland for the remainder of her pregnancy. You boys have experience with robbing trains, yes?"

Arthur chuckled. "Uh, yes ma'am, we do."

"Good. This should be easy for you. Now, the train will leave from Saint Denis in three days at midnight. You have until then to plan and execute. Oh, and she will be in an iron plated cage of some sort. One with no windows."

"You're talkin' about a train container, I think."

"Yes. I will see you boys in three days time in Saint Denis." And with that, The Morrigan started walking out of camp.

Arthur ran after her. "Well, wait a minute, Morrigan."

She stopped and turned around with a smile. "Yes?"

"Well, the babies and my wife. Will they be safe until we rescue her?"

"Yes, for the most part. Any other questions?"

"No."

"Not even about healing your tuberculosis?"

Arthur sighed. "I'm only concerned about getting my wife back right now. If you and I meet again, I'll ask."

"Oh, you'll be healed. Just not yet."

Arthur blinked at her. "Re...really?"

The Morrigan walked to him and enveloped him in her arms. "Yes, Mr. Morgan. But all in due time."

Arthur hugged her as well. "Thank you."

The Morrigan pulled back and smiled. "You're welcome. Now, you better get to planning. Remember. Saint Denis train station, midnight, in three days. Do not be late." And with that, The Morrigan walked down the trail and disappeared into thing air.

* * *

Adair was on her knees, chained down to the floor by her ankles, legs, wrists, arms, and neck. Her wings were also chained down by iron and any movement made by her was complete and utter torture. She was in a dark cage somewhere under the Sisika Penitentiary. A door opened and Leviticus Cornwall walked in. He bowed at the waist and chuckled.

"My my, what a magnificent creature you are, Adair, daughter of The Morrigan and The Dagda, Goddess of Hunting, War, and Death," said Leviticus. Adair said nothing, but she glared at him intensely. He stood up straight. "I would like to speak to my niece."

Adair still said nothing, and Leviticus pulled out a cane with an iron tip. He hit Adair in the face with it and she groaned.

"I want to speak to Lilly."

"You cannot speak to her, you devious mortal!" Adair growled. "She does not wish to speak with you."

Leviticus cocked his head. "Oh, so she can hear me. Well, that makes this easier. Lilly, since you can hear me, I would like you to know that when the twins are born, they shall be in my care. And I promise to raise them as my own. And I will always speak highly of their mother."

Adair scowled at him. _"He canna take 'em away from me!"_ Lilly sobbed in Adair's head.

"He will not take them from you, lass. I shall make sure if it."

"Oh really? All the way from down there?" Leviticus asked.

Suddenly Lilly had an idea.

_"My vision. Tell him how he dies."_

Adair smiled evily. "Oh clever, Lilly. That is a good idea."

Leviticus scoffed. "What's a good idea?"

Adair smiled up at the man maliciously. "We know how you die, old man. Would you like to know?"

Leviticus chuckled. "Oh? Sure, why not?"

"You get shot."

"By whom?"

"Ha! Wouldn't you like to know, but Lilly and I will be there to laugh in your face when you perish."

The door opened again and Mr. Pierce came in. "Sir, it's time."

Leviticus nodded, swung the cane and hit Adair in the face again. She groaned then cackled softly. "All you do is lie, little goddess."

Leviticus turned and walked out. When he slammed the door shut, Mr. Pierce cringed and looked at Adair. "What did you say to him?"

_"Oooooh, we should tell him how he dies, too."_

Adair cackled again. "You know how you are going to perish, little human? You get eaten by Lilly's brothers."

"Lilly's brothers are dead," Pierce said in disbelief.

"No, they are not. They have been reincarnated, too. Why else would Lilly choose to name them Brian and James?"

"Her wolves? Her wolves are truly Brian and James?"

"Yes. And you and Brutus will be eaten alive by them both. In fact, I might even join in." Adair started cackling loudly as Mr. Pierce left the room in a hurry, but she got louder even when he had gone.


	59. Punishment

Arthur watched as Susan confronted Dutch out of nowhere. "Dutch! What is goin' on?!"

"Goin' on, Miss?" he asked her.

"With you! You're not yourself, somehow!"

"Then who am I?"

"I have no idea...who are you?"

"Who are you? To question me," Dutch stood up and got in Susan's face, "I mean..."

"I have always been loyal, Dutch!" Susan walked around him. "And I shall go on bein' loyal, but what are we doin' here? We need to move and keep movin'!"

"We need...we need money, you dumb fool! And my daughter!" Dutch shouted angrily. "Money! Lilly! Or we are dead! We are all dead!" Dutch wandered near the cave. "I am doin' the best I can. Fool!" Dutch then walked into the cave.

Arthur sighed. He'd seen Dutch getting unhinged more and more every day and now he was yelling at everybody. Lilly being captured and imprisoned, again, was not helping things of course, and he could barely keep people's hopes up about Ireland. Some people were even thinking of leaving. As much as that hurt Arthur, he thought maybe it was for the best. Their outlaw way of life was dying and would soon be over, one way or another. He'd periodically ask people how they were doing, just to see if he could brighten them up, but to no avail. Even Trelawny wasn't in the highest of spirits, though he was adamant about coming to Ireland. He thought it might be fun.

Sean and Karen were fighting an awful lot as of late, even after Sean returned from Guarma, but it was mostly Karen being an alcoholic now that started the fights. Reverend Swanson would invite him to sit a lot by the fire and chat, and sometimes he would, but Arthur spent most of his time planning Lilly's rescue. Or Adair's rescue. Both of them, really. He loved Lilly with all his heart, but Adair was a part of her so in a way, Arthur loved Adair too. Mostly everyone did, except Micah, but he was an asshole to everyone. Still, Arthur was beginning to suspect something going on between Micah and Dutch lately, something about a plan, and Arthur didn't like it. Arthur walked into the cave after a while and started talking to Dutch.

"Hi, Dutch," Arthur said to his long time mentor.

"Good morning," Dutch said bitterly.

Arthur sighed. He wanted to ask about the whole Micah thing but now was not a good time, he surmised. "Dutch, I'm worried about you."

Dutch gaped at Arthur. "Me? Why?"

"Well, you been kinda short with folks recently and I was just wonderin' if you're okay."

Dutch sighed and shook his head. "No, Arthur, I am not okay. Lilly's gone again, people are losin' hope, questionin' my judgment, and all I can do is tell them to keep the faith. But they've lost it. Hosea, Susan, everyone...except Micah, Bill, and Javier." Dutch looked at Arthur. "Have you lost faith in me?"

"No, Dutch. Like I said, I'm worried about you, is all." Arthur pat Dutch's shoulder. "You are my father, after all."

Dutch smiled brightly for the first time in days and Dutch clapped Arthur on the arm. "Thank you, son. That means a lot to me."

"Sure."

"Any ideas on how to get your wife back?"

"Hosea and I been goin' over it if you wanted to take a look."

"Hmm." Dutch nodded. "Soon, perhaps. I just need to clear my head right now."

"Alright, well, I'll leave you to it." Arthur walked out of the cave and crossed paths with Micah. "Hey, Micah."

"Hey, Black Lung," Micah said.

It was a new nickname Micah gave Arthur to poke fun at his illness. Not that it mattered much any more. The Morrigan said he'd be healed soon. But he kept drinking his milk like Lilly told him to, he'd occassionally go walking through the mountains for a while and he had to admit that those times were when he could breathe the easiest and have the least amount of coughing. But it was cutting down to the wire about getting his wife back. He decided to go into Annesburg for ammo, and maybe to see if Mrs. Downes and Archie had left town. He was hoping they did, but as he got in, sure enough, he saw Archie waiting outside some door between two buildings.

"Shit," Arthur said before approaching Archie.

"Mr. Morgan," Archie said in quiet greeting.

"You still here, kid?"

"Well, yes. Momma..." Archie turned away. "Momma can't leave! Or won't leave! I don't know, I said I had the money," he turned around and pointed at Arthur, "she said your money weren't moral. She said it'd be better to die than to take it."

Arthur shrugged. "Maybe she's right, I don't know...I don't know anythin' about morals."

"She's still headin' out...workin', you know."

"I'm sorry, son." Archie walked past him. "Sorry about all of this."

"She ain't been back for a few hours." Archie turned back and the males faced each other. "She left with some fella down the railway tracks. I did not like the look of him."

"Which way you say?"

Archie pointed. "Eh, that way, around the woods, towards Willard's Rest."

Arthur nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Adair groaned out as another hit to the face came from the iron-tipped cane of Leviticus Cornwall. "Let my niece out!" he yelled.

"No!" Adair shouted. "She does not wish to talk to you!"

"Why not?"

"Because you burned her and killed her, you moron! Even when you knew she was with child!"

"Well I'm not killing her now. I just want to talk!"

"And I said no!"

Leviticus hit her over and over with the cane before pushing the iron tip into her cheek. Adair felt it burn and sizzle and she groaned from the pain.

_"Adair, are you sure this is necessary?_ _Why won't you let me out?"_

"You need to be protected! As soon as I let you out, he will put the collar on you!"

"Oh, so she does want out," Leviticus said with a smirk.

"That does not mean she will talk to you."

_"Damn right it doesn't. Ya show that bastard who's boss, Adair!"_

Adair snarled at the man and Brutus entered the room with an iron knife. "Brutus, please clip her wings."

_"Adair, no! Let me out! Dunna let them do that tah ya!"_

Adair chuckled. "Relax, they will grow back."

_"Oh. Well, in that case, just breathe through it."_

Adair chuckled. "That's my girl."

Adair took a few deep breaths and screamed out as she felt the knife slice through one of her shoulder blades.

* * *

Arthur got close to Willard's Rest when he heard voices.

"How about a drink, deary?" a man said to someone.

"Oh, no thank you," a woman replied.

"That's Mrs. Downes," Arthur mumbled to himself.

"Aw, I ain't a baddie, I ain't..."

"Of course not."

"Well, deary, I been in jail...but it weren't my fault."

"I'm sure."

"It's nice out here, huh? It's quiet."

"Nice? Sure."

"Feller could do...what he likes out here."

"I guess..."

Arthur approached them both. "That's enough now, partner," Arthur said to the man. "You're startin' to scare me, let alone the poor woman! Clear off!"

"And who are you?" the man asked Arthur.

"Someone who don't wanna hear no more of your nasty mouth," Arthur snapped. The man spit. "Push me, and I'll put a bullet in you."

"I-I-I presume Archie sent you?" Mrs. Downes asked Arthur, trying to interrupt the confrontation.

"I said clear off, before I deal with you!" Arthur growled as he ignored the woman.

"I'll see you again, deary," the man said to Edith.

He caressed her face and she turned away. The man left and Arthur watched him leave. "Listen, listen to me," Arthur said to the woman as he started coughing. "Excuse me."

Edith crossed her arms. "You sound like my husband," she said.

"I know. Listen...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what happened, and I was a, a fool. And I'm sufferin' for my foolishness, but don't go and get yourself killed because of your pride. You have a son, Mrs. Downes."

"I'm just so ashamed," she said, covering her face and starting to cry.

"Ashamed? For what? You loved him. You did everything for him...let's get you home."

Edith turned to him and stopped crying. "Alright. Let's go."

Arthur called for his horse Rose and they both mounted up. He turned around and started trotting down the trail. "I'm sorry it had to come to this."

"Stop sayin' sorry...sorry won't bring Thomas back."

"I know," Arthur coughed.

"So you're sick now too, and you think that affords you the opportunity for penance for cuttin' his time short?"

"No, I ain't lookin' for that."

"Okay then, so just forget about me and the guilt you're carryin', because no good can come of that for either of us. All you can do now is decide the man you want to be, for the time you have left. Help someone who can be helped, or help yourself."

Arthur sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"Or hang yourself, for all I care," she said bitterly.

"You're right to dislike me. I ain't lookin' for that to change," Arthur said. They continued in silence until they reached where Archie was waiting. "Archie should be waitin' for us just up ahead."

They both got off Rose and Arthur followed Edith to Archie. Archie saw her and smiled. "Momma! Momma!" he said as they hugged. "Momma."

Edith gasped with a cry. "Oh, you're a silly boy, you're...oh, Archie. What will we do?"

"Get outta here," Arthur said to them both. "Go. Live someplace else, start over. Here, take this," Arthur reached into his satchel and pulled out money. "I don't need it no more."

"I don't want your money," Edith said.

"Yeah, I know you don't want it."

"I don't."

"You sure as shit need it. Take it."

"No."

"I ain't lookin' for forgiveness, it ain't about that. Don't forgive me, just take the money and get outta here, please. I know I ruined your life. I suffer for it every day, but don't let yourself get killed for...for pride. I seen it kill too many folk." Arthur put his arm out, money in hand.

"I..."

"Don't say anythin'. Don't thank me." Mrs. Downes took the money. "Just take the money and pack your bags. That's all I gotta say."

"Thank you, Mr. Morgan," Archie blurted out.

"I said don't thank me. Get outta here. Please."

The mother and son turned, opened the door and walked in. But then Archie stopped. "Mr. Morgan. That woman that was with you, when you helped me at the mine."

"Yes?"

"Is she your wife?"

"Yes."

"You're married?" Mrs. Downes said in shock.

Arthur held up his left hand to show his wedding band. "Yes. And we're uh, we're expectin' twins." Arthur tipped his hat and walked away.

* * *

Adair sat on her knees shaking as blood oozed from her back. Both her wings had been cut off. Of course they'd grow back, but she wasn't healing thanks to the iron chains shackling her.

 _"It hurts, Adair. It really hurts_ _,"_ Lilly said in Adair's head.

"I-I know," Adair replied with a quivering voice. "But fear céile will be here soon enough."

_"That mother fucker better hurry up."_

Adair cackled. "You are a most amusing human. Aside from the fat man, of course."

_"Yes, I love how you keep sayin' you're gonna eat him. Gets him every single time. But why do you like to pick on him so much?"_

Adair smiled. "I like a man with girth."

_"What? You like a man with girth? You mean...you are attracted to Mr. Pearson?"_

"Yes."

Lilly laughed. _"Oh my God."_

"What?" Adair asked with both amusement and confusion in her voice.

_"Out of all the men you choose to be attracted to, you choose the cook? He's not even a warrior!"_

"He says he was in the navy."

_"Yeah. As a cook!"_

"Well, I do apologize, Lilly, but as I said, I like a man with girth."

Lilly put a palm to her face. _"You have got to be kiddin' me,"_ she laughed.

The door to the room opened and Mr. Cornwall walked in with a tray of food and a glass of water. "I thought you might be hungry," he said, putting the tray in front of her. It was cooked prime beef, green peas, and a potato cut open with butter on it.

"I can go on without eating for days."

"Yes, I suppose you can, but Lilly can't. She hasn't eaten in two days and I'm sure her babies are hungry." Leviticus crouched down. "I promise to only keep the collar on Lilly, just during the conversation, if you let me talk to my niece. She needs to eat."

_"I am rather hungry, Adair."_

"Lilly, you cannot trust his word."

_"I know but I can't go on starving my children."_

Adair sighed, and light enveloped her. Lilly came out and she groaned, feeling very weakened from being in Adair's body for so long. "Oh, that feels so much better," she said.

"What do you mean?" Leviticus asked Lilly.

Lilly glared at him. "I mean this whole time you've been torturin' Adair, I've been feelin' it."

Leviticus' eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Yes." Leviticus put an enchanted collar around Lilly's neck and grabbed a chair, putting the tray in his lap and cutting up the steak. He helped Lilly drink the water then started feeding Lilly, and she was slightly grateful, not that she would admit to it. "I have questions."

"Alright. Ask away."

"You said my father failed his mission. What do you mean?"

Levi fed her another piece of steak. "He made a deal with The Morrigan."

This shocked Lilly to the core. "What? Before or after he killed Adair?"

"After. You see, after Adair died, The Morrigan cursed your mother with fertility problems before your parents even met. Brian was a miracle child, but she had several miscarriages afterwards. So, your father went to the fairy mound and begged for Abigail's curse to be removed, and The Morrigan removed it on the condition that the next child would be allowed to, well, be watched over by her. He agreed, and then your mother became pregnant with you."

Lilly had always wondered about the age gap between Brian and herself. They were ten years apart in age. "How many miscarriages did my mother have?"

"Six."

Lilly frowned. "She must have been devastated."

"Yes, as was your father." Levi fed her some peas. "Any other questions?"

"How come you think Adair was responsible for the famines?"

"We were told by someone."

"Who?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that." He gave Lilly a bite of the potato. "Is your meal sufficient in taste?"

"Yes."

"More questions?"

"No, but I will tell you that Adair was framed."

Leviticus smirked. "Who told you this?"

"The Morrigan."

"Hmm. Well, forgive me if I don't believe that."

Lilly sneered at him with a scoff. "I wouldn't forgive you for anything, Cornwall."

Leviticus chuckled. "You are so much like your father."

Lilly's expression softened. "How did you find out I was a reincarnated goddess, anyway?"

"Same person I can't tell you about."

Lilly sighed. "But this is why we escaped to America? Because you wanted me dead?"

Levi frowned and fed Lilly more food. "You act as if I enjoyed killing you. I didn't, not at all. It pained me, in fact. After all, I was named your godfather."

Lilly quirked a brow. "I don't even remember that."

"I guessed so. You were very young when you left Ireland. I doubt you remember much."

"The Morrigan said I was bound. What does that mean?"

"Your father hired a special priest to bind Adair from you once he found out who you were, but only a part of Adair was left in the oak tree. That is why it died when you left. It was his duty to kill you but he refused. I mean, who could kill their own child?"

Lilly inclined her head with a hum. "I see."

Levi helped her finish the rest of her food. "I do have questions too, Lilly."

"Like what?"

"What happened once you, James and Brian got to America?" Lilly hesitantly explained all the things that transpired from the moment she set foot on American soil. When she got to the part about the school in Saint Denis and how she was beaten so as to make her barren, Levi frowned. "That's horrible."

"Yeah."

Then she got to the part about Brian's death and killing fifty three men in his name. This shocked Levi. "You were The Fidus Er Audax Hunter?" He laughed. "I did think it was odd that the person used your family motto as their mark. Bronte must have trained you well."

"Yes."

"And the other students? What happened to them?"

"Oh, they all died. Bronte sent them after me."

"Did you kill them?"

Lilly laughed. "No. See, Bronte had them taught to fight, and they fought well. Unfortunately, they were not taught to survive the swampy wilderness like I was by The Morrigan. They got eaten by alligators or killed by Night Folk."

Levi laughed. "Well, that was dumb of Bronte."

"Yes, it was."

Lilly continued her story about leaving Saint Denis to track down Steven and Travis for her family's pocketwatch and how she became a member of the Van der Linde gang.

"So, Arthur, he's been your guardian ever since?"

"Yeah, although for the last four months I have not made his job easy at all."

"I'm sorry he won't see his children, but I figure it best that I take them into my care instead."

This angered Lilly but she knew it wouldn't come to that. She knew Arthur was coming to get her. "He wouldn't anyway."

"What do you mean?" Leviticus asked her, crossing his legs.

"He's dyin' from tuberculosis," she said sadly.

"I see."

"I have one request."

"Go ahead."

"I'm havin' a boy and a girl. The boy will be named after Arthur, and the girl will be Aoífe. Please honor my wishes."

"I shall, my dear. You have my word. Now," he leaned forward to unlock her collar. "Is Adair ready to come back out?"

Adair needed rest but she wasn't about to tell Levi that, so she lied. "Yes."

Levi unlocked the collar and as soon as he did, Lilly pounced and tackled him to the ground. She started choking him and he struggled to breathe, flailing his limbs about. He grabbed his cane and hit her with it, but she didn't budge. She punched Levi in the face and knocked him out. She got up and yanked on the iron chains, breaking them apart. The door opened and some men came running in to subdue her, but she only smiled and knocked them all into the walls with a swing of her arms. She ran out the door and through the dark hallways. She had to get out but which way should she go? As she past a corner a collar was clamped on her neck and she went backwards onto the floor. Lilly looked up and saw Brutus standing their, looking victorious.

Lilly groaned at him. "Son of a bitch!"

Brutus laughed and pulled her up rather aggressively. "Come on, back to your room," he said with his thick, Cockney accent.

Lilly struggled in his grasp but with her collar on, Brutus was a lot stronger than her. The man was built like a beef cake and he was at least six foot four. She was guessing, of course. He dragged her back into the room and slammed the door shut. He looked down at an unconscious Leviticus Cornwall, then at the broken chains and growled in frustration. He opened the door and shouted, still hanging on the squirming Irish woman. "Oy! I need some help over here!"

Mr. Pierce and a few other men came walking in a minute later and surveyed the damage. Brutus held her in a lock with his arms as they decided to bring her to another room. They woke Cornwall up who had a broken nose and Lilly silently congratulated herself. They dragged her to another room and chained her up on her knees, this time making the chains tighter and giving her less room to move around. "Okay, Mr. Cornwall says to remove the collar now, but hold her down."

One man put her head to the floor and she struggled as they took the collar off. They beat her back repeatedly, flogged her with another cat o' nine tails whip to bring Adair out but Lilly refused. Her back healed instantly but it still hurt to be whipped by burrs. And she'd have to explain the extra scars on her back. But eventually the pain overcame her and she passed out, turning into Adair once more. Adair's wings didn't grow back this time. The iron was preventing her from healing. They flogged her with the iron burred whip and blood splattered across the floor, but the goddess did not scream. No, Adair was no longer going to give them the satisfaction of hearing her howl in pain.


	60. Trauma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M for mature content, sexual assault, and traumatic content.

Lilly woke up to Brutus standing over her. He was staring down at her with a look in his eyes that Lilly could not mistake for anything other than lust. Shit. "What do you want?" Lilly barked defiantly.

Brutus crouched down to her with a smile. "Isn't it obvious?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Yes, but ya ain't gettin' it."

"Oh, I think I will." Lilly tried to move around but the chains were too tight. He moved closer and reached for her mound. Lilly yelped and tried to close her legs but she couldn't. Brutus laughed. "I like it when they wiggle."

Lilly tried harder to close her legs and suddenly they snapped shut. Brutus pulled his hand out and laughed again. "Leave me alone!" she shouted.

"No." Brutus grabbed her by the hair and kissed her mouth. Lilly yanked her head back then headbutt him in the nose so hard that she saw stars. "Ouch! Hahaha, you are one tough Mick, I'll give ya that!"

"Shut up!"

Brutus continued laughing and ripped open her shirt. "Oh, those look nice."

"If me uncle comes in here and sees ya doin' anythin' untoward, he'll be furious!"

The man grabbed a chunk of Lilly's auburn colored hair again and yanked it so hard she let out a brief cry of pain. He pulled her head back and grasped a breast with his other hand, then he bent down and started licking the nipple. Lilly tried to thrash out of her nefarious position but it was to no avail. He reached into the front of her pants and slid his fingers down to her womanhood. He let out an "oooooo" sound.

"You're so warm," he said against her nipple.

Lilly started trembling. She was not about to be raped, so she decided to take action. "Stop," she moaned out.

Brutus lifted his head and smiled. "You like it and you know it."

"I-I do, but my husband..."

"He ain't here, and no one else ain't gonna know. Now tell me how you want it, girly."

"I want you to, gosh, I need you to bite my neck."

Brutus leaned forward and licked her lips. "Kiss me first."

His fingers began massaging her insides and she kissed him deeply. "So good," she breathed out.

"Yeah, there we go. You're makin' my cock wake up now." Brutus bit her neck and she yelped. His musk was fucking atrocious and it took all her willpower not to gag. He licked her neck and she bit him on his neck, making him moan into the flesh of her own neck. "Oh, you naughty girl."

She started whispering in his ear. "You know what I really want you to do?"

Brutus shuddered. "Yeah, tell me, baby."

She licked his ear, making him shudder again. "You really wanna know?"

"Yes," he said gruffly, letting go of her hair.

Perfect. "I want you to..."

"Yeah?"

Lilly nibbled his ear. "I want ya tah go fuck off." Lilly bit his ear so hard blood started to spill. He screeched out as she ripped the flesh off. Brutus grabbed his bleeding wound and backed off. Lilly spit his ear out. "Yeah, that's what ya get, ya sick fuck!"

"You god damn bitch!" Brutus growled and backhanded her face so quick she almost didn't see it coming. The force of his strike made Lilly's body twist back at the waist. She spit out blood and started laughing.

"I'm sorry, my ears just ain't workin' right. Can I borrow one of yours?" Brutus picked up his ear and stormed out of the room, then slammed the door behind him. Lilly laughed again and shook her head. "What an eejit."

 _"That was quite the tactic, Lilly. Seducing that man was bold,"_ said Adair.

"Thanks. I've had years of practice."

* * *

Arthur woke up slowly and yawned. He coughed as he sat up then spit on the ground and rubbed his mouth clean. He dressed into his summer gunslinger attire and walked out. Most everyone was ready. He walked to Tessa with the wolves traveling behind him. Jack came running up to them and hugged them both.

"You boys be good and get Aunt Lilly back, okay?" said Jack with full enthusiasm.

They both howled and Jack howled in response. They licked Jack's face and he giggled, then Brian and James came walking over to Arthur. "You boys ready?" he asked, already mounted up on Tessa.

They both barked. Sean came over to Arthur while on Ennis. "You ready for this, Englishman?"

Arthur nodded to Sean and the rest who were coming with: Lenny, Charles, Javier, Bill, Dutch, Sadie, and Micah. Dutch neared all the men while on his horse The Count.

"Alright, gentlemen. Let's go get my daughter back! Hyah!" They all rode out of camp and down the trail.

* * *

Lilly sat on her knees, still chained up with her shirt open, when Brutus came back in with his ear all patched up. He looked furious. Lilly chuckled a little. "Back so soon?" she asked him.

Brutus went to her and backhanded her face. She laughed and spit out blood. "You are gonna pay for my ear, little lady!"

Lilly laughed again and glared up at him defiantly. "And how are you going to accomplish that?"

Brutus moved behind her and pushed her chest down from behind. Lilly grunted and struggled when she heard Brutus unbuckling his pants. Oh fuck no. Lilly yanked on the chains but it was no use. She wasn't going to get free.

"Hey!" she shouted. Someone get in here and help me! Brutus is goin' to-"

He put a hand over her mouth tightly. "Now you're gonna get it!" Brutus snapped.

He adjusted the chains for her ankles and legs so that Lilly's legs could be spread apart. He aggressively pulled down her pants and Lilly screamed into his hand.

* * *

It was late in the evening by the time Arthur and the rest got to Saint Denis. They went their separate ways, agreeing to meet at the train station by 11:45 pm. Arthur went with Sadie and Sean to Doyle's Tavern for a few drinks.

"You nervous?" Sadie asked him.

"No. Just hell bent on getting her back," Arthur replied.

"We'll get her back."

Sean clapped Arthur on the shoulder. "So Englishman, should we discuss the other problems? The rat and snake problems?"

Arthur nodded. "Sure, though those two are apparently the same person."

"Oh, well that makes it easier, then. Obviously it's Micah."

Arthur scrunched his face. "Yeah, he's highly suspect but we would need proof."

"What's there to prove? He's been yappin' in Dutch's ear for quite some time now, I've seen him suckin' up to Dutch, I've seen him praisin' Dutch, to everyone, but he just seems so feckin' fake about it. "

"We need irrefutable proof, Sean. Something we can show Dutch so he'll believe us."

* * *

Lilly sat in the boat's brig, chained up still with the collar around her neck, feeling enraged. She'd been raped and tortured by Brutus and it happened several times until Leviticus and Mr. Pierce walked in on him doing it. They were both furious and kicked Brutus out of the room. Levi had sent Mr. Pierce to find Lilly a new set of clothes in town and her Uncle Levi had apologized over and over but Lilly merely spit in his face and cursed him out. She could only imagine how many more scars had been added to her back. The newest scar, though, was the one on the side of her face. He'd taken a knife and sliced from Lilly's forehead to her jawline. It was just another scar, she had told herself.

 _"What are you going to tell Arthur?"_ Adair asked.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

_"Why?"_

"He'd never want me again knowing another man..." Lilly couldn't finish the sentence.

_"He will love you no matter what happens."_

"But he's a jealous man."

_"And he should understand that this was not your fault and there was nothing you could do."_

"I've never been so humiliated in my whole life."

The door to the brig opened and Mr. Pierce, along with a few guards, walked in with a stack of clothes in his arms. "Mrs. Morgan, I have new garments for you."

Lilly nodded. "Just set them down and I'll dress myself."

Mr. Pierce walked over and unlocked her chains. "I am sorry for what Brutus did to you. We are blood related but I no longer consider him to be family."

Lilly chuckled, rubbing her wrists. "Do I look like I give a god damn?"

Mr. Pierce handed her the clothes, backed up and turned around. The guards did the same. "No, but...look, I take no pleasure from having you tortured, especially with the first time. It was nothing personal, Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly dressed herself in a red buttoned down shirt and black fancy pants, but she kicked the boots aside. "I understand that, but it still won't make me like you."

"I'm not asking you to like me, I only wish to make your last few months...comfortable."

Lilly scoffed. "Yes, and you have done a great job so far!" she yelled sarcastically. "I'm done gettin' dressed."

Pierce turned around and shackled her again. "Brutus has strict orders to stay away from you. Once we get to New York, he will be let go."

"Let go? No justice for what he did to me?"

Mr. Pierce looked up at her after shackling her ankles. "Do you want justice?"

"I want revenge and justice."

Mr. Pierce stood with a inclination of his head. "That could be arranged."

* * *

Arthur and the rest of the group met up at the train station at 11:45. The Morrigan was waiting for them in a red and black plaided casual dress and a matching hat. Arthur wanted to laugh as he closed in on her. "Well, this is a new look."

The Morrigan chuckled in amusement. "I must blend in, ya silly mortal."

"Alright, so we're here," Dutch said impatiently. "What is your plan?"

The Morrigan smiled. "We are going for a train ride, boys."

* * *

Adair was put into a wooden box plated with iron and transported to a train car. Once she was inside, the box opened and they shackled her chains to the floor. Then they left her. It wasn't long after the train began moving when Adair turned into Lilly and an enchanted collar was put on the girl's neck. Lilly said nothing as she contemplated her thoughts. There was no way she could tell Arthur or anyone else what had happened to her. Not the whole story, anyway. The torture was something she could live with telling Arthur, but not the sexual violation of her body. Lilly knew Arthur would be furious, but would he be furious with her? Would he blame her? Leave her, even? He'd threatened once before, although he admitted to his bluff. Lilly put her knees to her chest and held them. She'd been allowed more movement since the ordeal with Brutus had been discovered, so she was slightly grateful for that. She wondered when Arthur would come for her, but could she even look him in the eye? Probably not, she felt so much shame and guilt. There had to have been something she could have done.

 _"There was nothing you could have done,_ _"_ Adair said.

Lilly didn't believe that. It had been a long time since she felt like a helpless little girl, and she certainly felt like one now. She pressed her face into her knees and cried silently. This went on for a long time, or at least it felt like a long tine, and she just let the tears fall. She'd been so wrapped up in her misery that when Lilly heard a door open she didn't even bother to look and see who it was. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she immediately scrambled back. "Don't touch me!" she shouted.

"Lilly, it's me," she heard Arthur say. "It's just me."

Arthur reached for her again. "I said don't touch me!"

Arthur looked at her in bewilderment in the dim light. "Jesus Christ, what did they do to you?"

Sean walked in with a set of keys and tossed them to Arthur. "Let's go, hurry up!"

Arthur neared his wife with his hands up. "Lillian, I need to get the collar off, okay?"

Lilly tried to get away but couldn't go any further, tears streaming down her face. "Don't touch me!" she growled.

"I'm only trying to get the collar off, mo stór. What's wrong?"

The Morrigan walked in and sighed. "Arthur, let me do it."

Arthur handed Morrigan the keys and she kneeled in front of Lilly. "We must free you." She put a hand on Lilly then she immediately let go, a gasp escaping her mouth. "You poor girl..."

Lilly stared at The Morrigan. "Just get me out."

Morrigan touched the shackles then yelped in pain. "Of course. Iron." She handed Arthur back the keys. "Lilly, Arthur needs to free you."

Lilly slowly nodded amd Arthur unlocked her chains. He then unlocked her collar and reached for his wife but she went to the back of the car and pressed her back to the door. "I said dunna fuckin' touch me!" she snapped. "Ya try it again and I'll kill ya!"

* * *

Arthur gaped at his wife. "Morrigan, what's wrong with her?"

The Morrigan stood and walked to Lilly, putting a hand on her shoulder. Lilly flinched but Morrigan pulled her in an embrace and kissed her head. "You're safe now, and you know your husband won't hurt you."

Arthur saw Lilly trembling and he stood up with a defeated sigh. "Morrigan..."

"She's traumatized, Arthur. We need to get her out of here."

The Morrigan walked with Lilly in her arms as Arthur opened the side door. The men jumped on their running horses and Arthur motioned for Lilly to jump but she refused. She instead changed into Adair and jumped onto Arthur's horse.

"Sorry, Arthur, but a lot of bad things happened to her. Wait, was it just the three of you?"

"No, the others are robbin' the train as a distraction. We're meetin' up with them later."

Adair chuckled as the Morrigan jumped onto Ennis, then they rode off together.

* * *

Arthur, Sean, Morrigan and Adair made camp at Fort Brennand along with the wolves, who decided to go off to hunt with Sean. Morrigan said her goodbyes to her daughter and left, and Arthur started a fire as he looked at Adair. He began to cook some meat. "So, what happened?"

Adair shook her head. "Lilly was traumatized and that is all she wants you to know."

Arthur gave Adair a look of shock. "Well, can I speak to her please?"

"She's asleep," Adair said casually.

Arthur stood up with the cooked meat and approached Adair, giving her the food which she happily took. "Then wake her up," he said sternly.

Adair looked up at him and sighed, then she stood up straight. "We were tortured. I was flogged, she was flogged, Brutus scarred her face and my wings were cut off, although those grew back." Adair's red wings came out and she gave them a soft flap.

"Jesus Christ. Well, did anything else happen?"

Adair averted her eyes. "She does not want anyone to know. It was a most heinous thing." Adair put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "You must be patient with her. She will come to you when she is ready."

Arthur sighed heavily. "If you say so."

Once the others found their way to Fort Brennand, they packed up the camp and headed north to the main camp. Not a lot was said from Adair and Arthur remained worried for the mental state of his wife. When they got to camp, it was very early morning and Adair headed straight for the Morgan tent rather than greet anyone. Arthur followed and when he walked in, he saw Lilly standing inside instead of Adair. Lilly had her back to him.

"So," Arthur said as he slipped off his boots. "You gonna tell me what happened?"

"...no," she said meekly.

There was a definite change in her behavior. Lilly was never one to speak in such a tone. Arthur suddenly went into a coughing fit and Lilly went to the nightstand. When he spit on the ground and looked at her, Lilly gave Arthur his cough syrup medicine and he spotted her scar.

"Oh God..." he said, reaching for her face. "What ha-"

Lilly flinched away from him and her eyes went wide. "I...sorry, I...I'm just tired," Lilly stammered.

Arthur approached her and she took some steps back. "Why are you afraid of me?"

"I'm not."

"Then why won't you let me touch you?"

Lilly frowned at him. "I...I-I-I just don't want to be touched," she stuttered.

"Well, baby girl, I was hopin' we could...you know," he said with a smile, trying to alleviate the tension in the air.

Lilly took a quick glance at him. "I...don't think we'll be doin' that for a while, Arthur..." Her eyes darted to his for a split second and what Arthur saw was shame and guilt. What could she have possibly done to feel that way? Or...what was done to her to make her feel that way? "Arthur, I just need some time to recuperate. I need space."

Arthur frowned. "Fine," he said bitterly. "Sure, fine. Yes, because it's not like I haven't had any fuckin' space with you bein' gone! I was worried, Lillian! I mean, how many god damn times do you have to get kidnapped?! Not that I mind savin' you, of course, because you are my wife and I love you! But what the fuck was so bad this time that you need some god damn space?!"

Arthur expected her to shout and rage at him, but instead she burst into tears and tried to run out of the tent. He caught her and she slapped him in the face. "Dunna touch me!" she screamed at him.

Arthur shook her and glared into her eyes. "What the fuck is wrong?! What happened to you?! Tell me, god dammit!"

Lilly slapped him harder and Arthur rubbed his cheek from the pain. "DUNNA TOUCH ME!"

Arthur growled at her. Even though her shout didn't work on him, he still hated it at times when Lilly used it on him. "You're my wife! I'll touch you if I god damn want to!"

Lilly cried even harder. Arthur looked at her, bewildered by her behavior. This was not the Lilly he knew. She had been changed somehow. His feisty, strong, bad-tempered wife was now a blubbering little girl and it only angered him more not knowing what could make her act this way. So, he held her to his chest and she cried into his shoulder.

"Is everything okay in there?" Hosea asked outside their tent.

"I think so," Arthur said. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with her."

"What's she doin'?" Karen asked him.

"She's cryin' like a god damn baby."

"Well, maybe it's a mood swing. She is pregnant, you know."

Arthur hadn't thought of that. He looked at her cheek and nuzzled it. "Are you havin' a mood swing, mo chroí?" _[my heart?]_

"Sea, mo chuisle." _[Yes, my pulse.]_

Arthur chuckled and kissed her cheek. He knew Lilly was lying but at least she was letting him touch her. He had to stop being an idiot and be patient with her, which was rather hard for him to do, but he needed to try. "Do you need some tea or your pipe?"

"My pipe. Gimme my pipe."

Arthur let her go and walked to her nightstand. He opened it and pulled out her herbs and pipe. He packed it for her and she took three puffs. Arthur laughed and took the pipe from her. "Alright, that's enough," he chortled.

As he put the pipe away, she swayed over to the bed and laid down on it. Arthur tucked her in and kissed the new scar on her face. "I hope you don't mind my face bein' ugly now."

Arthur shook his head, disagreeing with her. "Nah, you're still beautiful. You just look more formidable."

Lilly gave him a soft smile. "Aren't you comin' to bed?"

"I got some things to-"

Lilly reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Please don't go..."

Arthur made a face full of regret. He felt bad for thinking she didn't need him right now when clearly she did.

"Ah, on second thought, I could use a nap." Lilly grinned and Arthur climbed into bed next to her. He put his arms around Lilly and held her to his chest. They soon fell asleep holding each other.

* * *

Arthur was startled out of sleep by his wife having a nightmare. "Oh shit!"

"GET OFF ME!" she shouted.

Arthur held down her thrashing body as objects flew around everywhere. "Wake up Lilly!"

"I'LL KILL YA, YA SICK BASTARD! I SAID GET OFF ME!"

A few books flew by his head and Hosea and Dutch ran in. "Jesus, not again!" Dutch yelped.

Arthur shook her to try and wake her up. "Lilly! Wake up!"

* * *

_"GET OFF ME!" Lilly shouted at Brutus. He was all over her neck with his tongue and he was laughing._

_"You're a sweet little thing when you ain't yellin'! Come on! Admit that you like it!"_

_"NEVER!" Brutus bit her neck and Lilly screamed. "GET AWAY! STOP IT! GUARDS! UNCLE LEVI! SOMEONE GET HIM OFF ME!"_

_"Your shout don't work with that collar on and no one can hear you..."_

_"...Lillian, wake up!" Lilly heard Arthur yell._ _"_

_ARTHUR! DON'T LET HIM KEEP DOIN' THIS TAH ME!"_

_"Lillian, you gotta wake up, sweetheart! WAKE UP!"_

Lilly woke up to Arthur shaking her and objects clattering on the ground. Lilly shoved Arthur off the bed. "NO! STOP!" she screamed.

Dutch and Hosea held down her legs but she kicked them off and they landed on their behinds. "Boys! We need help in here!" Hosea yelled.

Arthur ran back to Lilly and tried to wrap his arms around her but she pushed him into the vanity table. Charles, Sean, Javier, Lenny, and Bill came running in and they all tried to get near her. "ALL OF YA GET OUT!" her voice boomed.

Every man but Arthur ran out of the tent automatically. Arthur held his hands up and approached his nightmare crazed wife. "Lilly, it was just a bad dream. You need to breathe."

Lilly looked around at everything. Things were scattered all over everything, including all her books. Lilly started to cry and covered her face. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed as she trembled from the adrenaline leaving her body.

Arthur sat on the bed and embraced her in a tight hug and kissed her hands. "It's okay, baby girl, you're okay."

Lilly cried into his shoulder and he rocked her. She saw Dutch poke his head in and she covered her face again, feeling ashamed of herself. "Tea?" he asked.

"I dunna want the god damn tea," she sputtered.

"A-Are you sure?"

"Yer just gonna sedate me!" she snapped.

"We can make it without the sedative, Lilly."

Lilly sniffled and nodded. "Okay..."

This was all a horrible nightmare. Lilly was glad Arthur was there for her but she could never fully explain to him what her dream was about. She could never tell him that she'd been raped. He'd never forgive her and she believed that all the way down to her very core.

 _"You must tell him, Lilly. He is your husband and he deserves to know_ _,"_ Adair said in her head.

Lilly shook her head. "No..."

Arthur looked at her. "No what?"

"Adair's talkin' to me," Lilly replied.

Arthur kissed Lilly's tears away and then prodded her nose with his, pressing his forehead to hers. "Mo bocht stór. Were you dreamin' about what happened?" _[My poor darling.]_

Lilly nodded. "Yes."

Arthur sighed and kissed her tenderly. "Was it Brutus?"

"...Yes."

"Honey, what did he do to you?"

"Please don't ask me."

Arthur shut his eyes and kissed her forehead. "Okay, I won't, but can I ask why you won't tell me?"

Because he'd never understand. Because he'd never forgive her for allowing it to happen despite not being able to stop it. Because he'd never look at her the same way. Because he'd never touch her again. Because he'd leave her. These were all her biggest fears right now and Lilly knew in her heart that all the fears were probably ridiculous, but her mind was fucking around with her. "It's too hard to talk about," she replied.

Miss Grimshaw came in slowly. "I have your tea, Lilly. Without the special ingredient."

Lilly nodded and Arthur took it from her, putting it on Lilly's nightstand. "Thank you, Miss Grimshaw," Arthur said.

"You're welcome." Susan looked around the tent and sighed. "Will you be needing help cleaning up?"

Lilly shook her head. "No, I'll...I'll clean it up."

Lilly made to get out of bed but Arthur pulled her back down. "Don't worry about that now, mo ghrá. Just drink your tea."

Dutch poked his head back in. "Arthur? A word, please?"

Arthur nodded and let go of Lilly as she grabbed her tea.

* * *

Arthur walked outside to Hosea and Dutch. "Yeah Dutch?" he asked Dutch.

Dutch put his hands on his hips. "What in the hell was that about?"

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. "Brutus tortured her while she was held captive."

Hosea turned his back. "My God..."

Dutch raised a brow. "She'd been tortured by him before and she didn't even bat an eye lash," Dutch explained in confusion.

"No. She died, Dutch. And she wasn't tortured for three days," Arthur also explained.

"I don't like this," Hosea said, pivoting back around. "The mind boggles. What could be worse than a flogging?"

"Well, she was flogged again, I know that much. Adair was too and had her wings cut off."

"Jesus Christ," Dutch said. "With what? That woman is invulnerable."

"Not to iron. Iron is their weakness."

"Well shit." Dutch put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Alright, I need you for somethin' Arthur, but you take care of your wife first. Once she's settled down, you meet Micah and me in Annesburg. We are gonna find some answers."

* * *

Lilly watched Arthur walk back in just as she finished her tea. "This tastes different," she said quietly.

Arthur frowned and sat on the bed. "Lilly, I need to run into town for some things. Do you need anything?"

Lilly tilted her head to one side. "I just had a night terror and you're leavin' me?"

Arthur chuckled. "I won't be gone long."

Lilly sighed and put her teacup on the nightstand. "I could use some more ammo and some gun oil. It's been a while since my guns had a cleanin'."

Arthur kissed her softly. "I'll be back as soon as I can, darlin'."

"Okay mo chuisle." Lilly watched Arthur leave and laid down in the bed, left alone to her thoughts.


	61. Life and Death

After grabbing ammo and gun oil for his wife at the gun store, Arthur went looking around for Micah and Dutch with Brian and James. He walked by some mining houses and suddenly was ambushed by Micah. Brian and James growled and went to pounce but Arthur held his hand up to them.

"Was you followed?" Micah demanded to know in a harsh voice as he pushed him against a house.

"No!" Arthur growled

"Was you followed?" Micah asked again.

"I said," Arthur pushed Micah off him, "no!" Arthur started wheezing and coughing.

Micah abruptly giggled. "Okay."

"What is your problem?" Arthur snapped, his eyes narrowed heavily.

Micah cocked his head and squinted his eyes. "What is your problem, partner?" Arthur started wheezing again. "You don't, uh, you don't look so good," Micah observed, shaking his head.

"What is wrong with you?" Arthur asked calmly but with a low, aggressive undertone.

"Nothin' wrong with me," Micah said cheerfully. "I'm fit as a fiddle," Micah spoke in an attempt to sound like Arthur.

"Not inside, you ain't," Arthur remarked with a swirling motion in the air.

Micah put his hands up. "I'm just a realist, friend."

Dutch approached them both and put one foot up on a stair step. Both the men looked at him, as did the boys. "So, you boys ready?"

"Ready for what?" Arthur asked.

"To make a simple social call," Dutch replied. Both him and Micah laughed a little too evily for Arthur's tastes.

"To who?" Arthur asked in confusion.

"Leviticus Cornwall."

Arthur smirked. "Hell yeah, let's do it."

Dutch pat Arthur's shoulder. "That's my boy. I told you, we are gonna get some answers."

The three men and the two wolves walked across the street. "So, how are we gonna do this?"

"We're gonna cut a deal, Arthur," said Micah with his hands going up.

Arthur caught up them. "What are you talkin' about?!"

"We want out, and Cornwall wants us to stop robbin' him, and we all know his money is what's keeping the Pinkertons on our tail. He's America, Arthur. And I want out. And he...he won't let us go," Dutch explained passionately.

"This ain't makin' a lot of sense, Dutch," Arthur said with doubt in his voice. "I thought we were here for Lilly?"

"We are, son."

"We're here for her and some money," Micah added.

"It will make sense, Arthur. A deal...some noise...and then we're gone." By the time the conversation was done, they were on the docks. "Cornwall's boat is due in soon. Let's get down here behind these crates."

Arthur and the rest went to a roofed area and got behind some boxes. Despite the wolves' large size, they hid pretty well. And so they waited. They didn't have to wait long until a boat called the "Malvina" showed up. Some men put a planked walk down between the boat and the dock.

"I wanna thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Cornwall," they heard someone say. Arthur realized it was Agent Milton and he was walking with Agent Ross.

"This was a business meeting, Mr. Milton," Cornwall said. "We are not friends. I have spent a comsiderable fortune with your agency and still, nothing. This Van der Linde robs me, and laughs at me. My niece is gone, and he laughs at me. I asked for the best. I paid for the best."

"We are very close, Mr. Cornwall. I know you've heard this before..."

"Janson. Send a telegram to Goldberg in New York, tell him I won't borrow at more than three point two percent. Sorry, no. I have heard it before." Cornwall turned back to the boat. "And get that army man to pay for his portage charge!"

"We are doing all we can within the confines of the law."

"The law? I think we both know what you can do with your laws. Find me Dutch van der Linde! Find me my niece! Bring them here and leave the laws to them as need them! Good day, sir!"

Mr. Milton and Mr. Ross walked away off the dock. "Come along, Mr. Ross. We have work to do."

"Mr. Pierce!" Janson yelled down the stairs. "Bring up Brutus!"

Mr. Pierce soon appeared into view with Brutus in chains. Arthur wondered if it had anything to do with what happened to Lilly. "Brutus, what you did to my niece was unforgiveable. Do you have anything to say about it?"

"She bit my ear off! The bitch got what she deserved!" Brutus growled.

Leviticus backhanded Brutus in the face. "I don't care about what she did! I care about what you did!"

Dutch stood up and walked into view. "Mr. Cornwall! What exactly did this man do to my daughter?" Dutch said with a sneer.

Arthur stood up and walked out with Dutch, as did the boys whose hackles were raised and teeth were bared. Mr. Cornwall saw the wolves and took a step forward. "Mr. Van der Linde."

"Yes?"

"This man here...he raped Lilly."

"He did _what_?!" Arthur shouted. Dutch's grin faded to a scowl and Arthur took a few steps forward before Dutch grabbed him. Arthur felt his blood boiling and his breathing became ragged. The boys took steps forward but Dutch motioned for them to stay back, and they stopped. Hesitantly. "How the fuck could you let that happen?! She's your niece, god damn you!" Arthur demanded of Leviticus.

Leviticus looked taken aback. "Me? I had no idea what he was doing until Mr. Pierce and I walked in on it happening, and I can tell you right now that Brutus will pay for it."

Arthur growled. "Let us take him! I got more than a few things planned for him!"

The boys snapped their jaws at Brutus and the man gulped. Arthur was still being held back by Dutch. Mr. Cornwall stepped off the boat. "How is she?" he asked.

Dutch sighed. "She had a nightmare this morning. A real bad one."

Levi covered his mouth and dragged his gloved hand sideways. "Good Lord. She still gets those?"

"Not so often anymore, but she had them a lot as a child. She broke a lot of shit in the process."

Levi sighed. "You know what? You can have Brutus. I have a feeling you'll do better justice than the law will."

Mr. Pierce shoved Brutus towards Arthur and Arthur grabbed him by the collar. "Oh, we most certainly will, Mr. Cornwall," Arthur said through his teeth."

"I believe we can fight another day, Arthur," Dutch whispered. "Let's bring this sack of shit to Lilly."

* * *

Arthur looked at his sleeping wife and frowned. His wife deserved so much better than everything that happened to her, and once again, he had failed to protect her. He was a bad guardian and a bad husband. Perhaps this would help make up for it. Arthur sat down on the bed and gently shook Lilly awake.

* * *

Lilly was woken up by Arthur who had the gravest of expressions on his face. "Lilly, come on. We need you in the cave."

Lilly sat up and wiped her eyes. "What? Why?"

Arthur caressed her face and kissed her. "Think of it as a surprise, darlin'."

Lilly looked into his eyes and saw hurt and sadness. "Arthur? What did you do?"

Arthur helped her out of bed. "Just come on."

Lilly and Arthur walked towards the cave. She felt eyes on her and she suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Arthur, what is this about?" He didn't answer her so she turned him around. "Arthur!"

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Trust me?" he asked her.

"Always," she answered without hesitation. He held her hand and walked with her into the cave. As they trekked deeper, Lilly couldn't help but feel some inner turmoil. What the hell was going on? They turned the corner and when Lilly saw Brutus chained to a chair and badly beaten, her feet stopped. "What is he doin' here?!" Lilly asked furiously.

Dutch, Hosea, Micah, Brian and James were also there. "You get to decide what to do with him," Dutch said.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Hosea said doubtfully.

Lilly was moved but she was also frightened out of her mind. She took a step back but Arthur held firm to her. "We know what he did, Lillian," Arthur said in her ear. "Leviticus told us what happened."

Lilly began to tremble, her throat made a lump, and she glared at Arthur. "Why are you doin' this?"

"Because we thought you wanted this."

Lilly glared at him. "This is what you went into town for?! To bring him here?!"

"We wanted answers, Lilly," Dutch said with confidence in his tone. "For chrissakes, you had a night terror!"

Lilly scowled at all of them. "It was not your god damn business!"

Brutus started laughing. "Oh, is the little lady scared of me?"

Lilly scowled at the man. "Shut the feck up!"

Brutus chuckled maliciously. "Aww, don't be like that. You know you _loved_ it."

Arthur marched over to Brutus and punched him in the face. "She said shut the fuck up!"

Brutus leaned over and spit blood. "Heh heh heh, looks like she's lost her nerve for vengeance, mate."

Arthur punched him in the nose and Lilly jolted when she heard bone crunch. Brutus let out a loud groan but then he laughed once more. "You shut up or I'll sick the wolves on you, startin' with your feet! Arthur shouted in Brutus' face.

The wolves snapped their teeth and Brutus said nothing else. Hosea walked to Lilly. "Sweetheart, you don't have to do anythin'. We can take him out of here."

Dutch scoffed. "We can't let him leave here alive. He'll tell someone where we are."

Lilly realized this was why he was brought to camp, so that she would seal his fate. "I didn't ask ya tah do this!"

"We know, but...Lilly, why don't you want to kill him? Torture him for what he's done!" Micah barked.

Lilly walked up to Brutus. She could let her vision come true and let Brian and James eat him alive, but the thought of it made her stomach churn. She punched him in the balls and he wheezed out from his lungs. "Oh ho ho," was all he said. Lilly made a decision. She pulled out her gun and shot him in the head. The sound rang out and echoed through the cave. He was dead. She holstered her gun and walked away.

"I no longer have the stomach for torture," was the only thing Lilly said as she left.

* * *

Arthur's jaw dropped as he watched his wife leave. He looked at the other men and they also looked shocked. "Well, that was anticlimactic," said Micah. "I was really hopin' she'd feed him to the wolves."

"Me too," Dutch said. "That bastard deserved it."

Hosea frowned. "I think Lilly made the right call."

Dutch scoffed at Hosea. "How can you say that? He tortured and raped our daughter!"

"Don't you think she's had enough of revenge for one lifetime?!"

Dutch, Micah, and Arthur looked at Hosea with surprised expressions. "What are you talkin' about? You talkin' about Bronte?"

"No. I'm talkin' about somethin' else! I'm talkin' about what happened in Saint Denis after her brother died!"

Arthur cocked his head. "You...how do you know about that?"

"Because she told me. She told me what Catherine Braithwaite said to her the day we went to bring the moonshine to Braithwaite Manor."

Arthur took a step back. "You knew and she willingly told you?"

"Yes."

Dutch and Micah both looked confused. "What am I missin'?" Dutch said.

Arthur sighed and shook his head. "It's not our place to say, Dutch. You're gonna have to ask her."

Dutch gave him a nod. "Fair enough."

* * *

Lilly sat on the bed and stared at the ground. She felt numb; empty. What was happening to her? Why did she not take her revenge? It was an important thing to her...once upon a time. So why was it no longer important?

"Lilly," she heard Arthur say as he walked in.

"Arthur," she said back. Lilly wasn't exactly mad at him, but she sure as shit wasn't happy with him either.

He sat down next to her. "So..."

"So?"

"Why didn't you tell me, darlin'?"

"About me being raped?" she asked bitterly.

"Yeah."

Lilly kept her eyes to the ground. "I thought you'd blame me, hate me, and leave me if you knew."

Arthur lifted her head and turned it to face him but she refused to look him in the eye. "Look at me, mo bhean chéile." Lilly hesitated but she locked eyes with him. "Is fear céile agus bean chéile muid. Chun níos fearr nó níos measa." _[We are husband and wife. For better or worse.]_

Lilly's eyes started to water. "You sure about that?"

Arthur nodded with a smile. "We made several oaths to one another. I don't blame you, I don't hate you, and I will never leave you."

Lilly sniffled. "Thank you for understanding," she whimpered.

Arthur pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. "You wanna go do somethin' to take your mind off things? I think I have just the thing in mind to cheer you up."

"Sure."

* * *

Lilly stared at the building and laughed. "You're kidding, right?"

Arthur beamed at her. "Nope."

It was storming out and Arthur had taken her to a place called Doverhill. He'd convinced her by saying a man by the name of Marko Dragic had some science project related to electricity. And that he was a foreigner and he had no idea where the guy was from. So they walked up to the back of the building and walked in. Lilly laughed when she saw the lab.

"My God...it's like Frankenstein's lab in here," she commented.

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Arthur agreed.

Lilly nodded and made an impressed face. "I like it."

"Hello?" Arthur said. "Is anybody here?" Arthur and Lilly walked around a bit looking for the scientist. "Hello?"

They heard a weird sound. It sounded like it was coming from above them. "If you are here to rob me, I wish to make clear that I have weapons that could," Arthur and Lilly started walking around the cage, "liquefy each of your internal organs in turn and leave you just a puddle on the floor."

Arthur and Lilly got to some sort of machine that the voice was coming out of. "Professor, I ain't here to rob you. It's me. I'm..." Arthur walked around to a room. "I helped you at the pond?"

"You did?" Arthur knocked on the chain link door and Lilly saw a man in a white lab coat stand up. "Oh, you did," he chuckled. "The buffoon. Hello!" he said excitedly.

Lilly narrowed her eyes, finally able to place the accent. He was Croatian. "Ispričajte me! Nemojte vrijeđati mog muža!" she barked out. _[Excuse me! Don't insult my husband!]_

The professor jumped and looked at Lilly through the fence. She had her arms crossed, her hip pivoted, and her eyes narrowed. The professor walked out of the room. "You speak Croatian?!"

"Da." _[Yes.]_

"O moj Bože! Who is this woman?" The professor asked Arthur. _[Oh my God!]_

"Jesus, woman!" Arthur laughed. "She's my wife," Arthur said with a cough and a wheeze. "I uh, I hope we're not disturbin' you."

The professor sighed and started walking around. "Of course you are disturbing me, buddy. I almost solved biggest problem and you mess it up!"

"I did?"

"No, but I did!" He walked around the cage and the couple went after him. "I can't get the bloody conductor straight." He stopped. "Uh, well, well, well," he walked into the room again, "well, it is the geometry of life, the grand theory of power." He walked back out with long metal poles and Lilly gaped at him. "The grand theory of theories." He walked towards another machine. "There is just one more, big problem, and maybe I solve it, but I can't get it right."

"I don't understand," Arthur said.

"Of course you don't," Marko said with condescension in his voice. "Help me adjust these things and I will show you what I mean. Here, take these," he said, handing Arthur the poles.

"Whoa, well I...I'm not much of a scientist."

"Yeah, well, you are an American, heh. Science is far beyond you, but you make a fine buff..." Professor Drako looked at the still cross Lilly. "I mean assistant."

Lilly gave him a fake smile as she began to walk to the door. "Well, I suppose I better go help."

The scientist stopped her. "Wait, wait, you are with child. You shouldn't do a man's job."

Arthur barked into laughter. "Yes, that is a sure way to win Lilly over," Arthur said to the professor. "Please don't make my wife mad. She has a really bad temper."

Lilly scowled at her husband. "Oh just go and do the job, ya silly man!"

"Love you!" Arthur said as he walked out the door.

Lilly chuckled and shook her head. The professor and her looked at each other before he went to a machine and started speaking into some sort if attachment. "You have the detector in your hands," the professor said in slow intervals. "The filament flashes when it points at the locations for conductors. Follow flashes up in hills and plant conductor rod where filament glows solid. When all three conductors in place, lightning strikes the rods, and we harness power of nature to make life."

He looked at another piece of machinery and Lilly took a gander at it. "What does that do?" she asked Marko.

"It tells me when conductor rod is in place."

"Oh."

The machine made a "ding" sound and the professor continued. "Okay! Now find the position for the second conductor. You're doing a bang up job. Remember, this is for good of all mankind. You're better than my last assistant. I hope you live longer, too!"

Lilly gasped. "Wait, what?!"

"Ah! It's glowing!" The professor looked at Lilly. "He will be fine." He started talking into the piece of equipment again as another "ding" sound occurred. "Two down, and one to go...and you're not dead...yet."

Lilly grabbed the equipment. "Arthur, please be careful out there!"

The professor pulled it back. "Now now, no need for that. Ahem, life and death," he said into the intercom, "the master equation that unlocks everything. You're so close now, can you feel it? Uh oh."

"Uh oh?!" Lilly barked.

"That wasn't you, was it? Good, good."

Lilly was starting to get mad. "Are you endangerin' me husband?!"

The professor sighed. "Please, Mrs. Morgan, I am trying to concentrate." He was silent for a few moments. "That's it! Marvelous! Fantastical! Return to the lab."

Lilly could hear wolves howling in the distance. "Shit." Lilly ran to the door and opened it, going outside and looking for Arthur. "Arthur!" she yelled.

"History is ours," she heard the professor say through the machine's speakers. "A momentous, momentous occasion. The mysteries of nature and life. Glorious day!"

Lilly saw Arthur running down the hill and let out a big sigh of relief. "I heard wolves out here. You okay?"

Arthur was soaked with rain but nodded with a smile. "Sure."

They both went back inside. "Wonderful!" the professor said.

"I wish I ever went to school so I had a clue what was goin' on," Arthur said as he handed the filament back to Marko.

"I think I know what he's doin'," Lilly said. "He's usin' electricity to power somethin' up."

Marko looked at her with a grin. "Excellent observation, Mrs. Morgan."

"What now?" Arthur asked the professor.

"Now," the professor went to a machine with several levers on it and pulled some down "I become the second creature," he walked to another machine and pulled another two levers, "after God himself to bring life to this earth." He put his hand on one more lever. "Like this!" He pulled the lever down.

Nothing happened. Marko tapped on the machine. "Am I missin' somethin'?" Arthur asked.

Lilly sighed and rubbed her forehead. "He forgot somethin'."

"Ah! The switches!" The professor dragged Arthur. "The bloody switches! Eh, climb up," he opened the back door and pointed, "there and adjust them for me. Go, quick please."

Arthur walked out and Dragic shut the door, then he went and reset the levers. Lilly scoffed. "He better not get hit by lightning, buddy."

"He won't. Less danger this time." He went to the intercom. "The switches are on a circuit. Flick one switch on the array and another might go off. You want the three illuminations so flick the switches 'til that is the outcome."

"Just tell me what god damn one of these things to pull!" she heard Arthur yell.

She snorted into giggles. "Oh, my poor husband."

"I am an invisible wave engineer, not an electrical technician, okay?" Dragic said into his equipment.

"You better hope I ain't fried up here!" Arthur shouted. "Or my missus might have your head!"

Lilly chuckled. "He's not wrong, you know."

The professor waved her off. After a few moments, Lilly heard some crackling noises. "It's working. It's working, haha! Come down here, quick!" After a few moments the door opened and Arthur walked in. Dragic ran to him. "Are you ready?"

"Sure. Second time lucky, eh?" Arthur said as the professor pulled the previous switches down again.

"Second time? Ha! More like," the professor scurried about and opened the cage that was in the middle of the circular room, "seven thousandth. This is my life's work." He walked into the cage. "And it is incredible."

He removed a sheet from the object on the cage to reveal a metallic...thing that Lilly could not describe. It had a head, a body, arms, hands, legs, and feet, but... "What is that?" Lilly asked the professor.

"As I said, my life's work." He ran out of the cage and pulled a switch. "Watch!" He pulled another, then the last one and purple electricity came flying out of an orb above the metal man. The professor started giggling. The eyes on the object lit up and an arm lifted.

Lilly's eyes went wide. This was just like Frankenstein's Monster, only with a metal man and not random body parts stitched together to make a real man. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" Lilly blurted out.

"He lives! My son lives!" Dragic threw up his arms and started laughing maniacally.

"Yeah, this is definitely Frankenstein," Lilly murmured to Arthur.

"What is it?" Arthur asked.

"It is life itself!" Dragic explained as the head turned to the side. "Those morons who doubted me, it is me and you, heh heh heh." The metal man started moving around more. "Look at him. Isn't he wonderful?"

The metal man walked forward a few steps before falling flat on its face. Lilly looked down at it and blinked a few times. "Well, that was interestin'."

The professor laughed. "Is that it?" Arthur asked softly.

"For now," Marko replied. "I am so happy!" The man reset the switches with a gleeful laugh and walked over to the fallen metallic being. "You just saw Creation's second birth," the professor said, giggling to himself.

"I just saw a machine waddle a few steps."

Lilly frowned. "I can't believe you're not impressed by this."

"I have a son...I am the luckiest man alive! I...those morons! They doubted me," the professor exclaimed.

Arthur walked away. "I'll see you later."

Lilly followed him. "Hey! Arthur! That was a beautiful thing we just saw!"

"Yes, yes, goodbye, ha ha ha..." the professor said.

Lilly and Arthur walked outside. "I can't believe you! You really are a buffoon!" she snapped. "You don't even know what you saw!"

"You're right, I don't. I liked his toy boat a lot better," Arthur said as he mounted up.

Lilly got on her horse Doc and she sighed in frustration. "That was amazin' and you don't even...oh, nevermind!"

Arthur laughed. "Well, at least you got somethin' out of it." They clicked their tongues and headed out of the area.

"I did. Thank you for bringin' me."

"You're welcome."

* * *

They both go back late and Lilly fell asleep almost immediately, but Arthur did not. He thought about that whole day and it was keeping him awake. He looked over at his wife and kissed her cheek. He needed to attend to something that had been bugging him. He got up, dressed in a dark green button shirt, brown pants, and brown riding boots, then he walked out and saw Dutch and Micah talking to each other by the main campfire. Arthur ambled over to them both when Dutch called him over and he sat on a log. "Gentlemen," he said.

"Arthur," Dutch and Micah replied.

"How is Lilly doin'?" Dutch asked.

"She's better. She's asleep. Hopefully she won't have another night terror, though I doubt she will."

"You sure?" Dutch said. "Because we've been talkin' and we want to take another shot at Cornwall."

Arthur chuckled. "For revenge or for money?"

"Of course it's for money. And the deal we want to make," Micah spat.

"And what makes you think he'll take this deal?" Arthur asked with a wave of his hand. "Cornwall, them Pinkertons, they've got us pinned in here, and ain't none of them stoppin'. We been on the run since you two fools went crazy in Blackwater. We barely escaped with our lives in Saint Denis, and you still wanna make a deal with Cornwall?" Arthur got up, shook his head, and started pacing back and forth. "We've gotten sloppier than the town drunk, and they know who we are, and where we are, and what we're doin'! And you two fools ain't helpin' things, you're makin' things worse!"

Dutch looked at Arthur with a confused expression. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Arthur pointed at Micah. "You convinced Dutch to play both the Grays and the Braithwaites and Sean almost got killed and Jack got kidnapped! And you, Dutch," Arthur pointed at Dutch, "you killed an innocent woman on that ferry. You killed an innocent woman in Guarma. What is goin' on with you? You taught us never to kill in cold blood and yet you have done it twice!"

Micah stood up. "That girl in Blackwater...she was in our way."

Arthur threw up a hand. "Oh horseshit! She was an innocent!"

Dutch, for a moment, had a flicker of doubt in his eyes. But Micah cleared his throat and leaned down to Dutch's ear. "Let's change the subject. Way I see it, best thing we can do is let the weak go, move on, get our money, and start over,' he said with a pat on Dutch's shoulder.

Dutch turned to Micah. "That ain't happenin'."

Arthur squinted his eyes at Micah. Sean was possibly on to something about Micah's behavior. "Thing is, Dutch, we got a rat. We got a rat and Molly was not the rat."

"And where's the evidence in that?" Micah asked Arthur.

"Lilly's visions." Arthur approached Dutch. "She foresaw Molly's death and she was supposed to save her. Now why would Lilly want to save a rat?"

"That ain't enough proof. You really want to rely on the delusions of a witch?" Micah snapped.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "What the hell did you just say?"

"You heard me, Black Lung."

Arthur clenched his fists. "My wife is not a witch and she is not delusional."

"Oh, I think she is. And now she's gonna be even worse because she got tortured and raped! She's weak!"

Arthur was about to beat Micah's face in but Dutch got between them. "Micah, that is my daughter you are talkin' about," Dutch said sternly, holding a hand up to him, then he pointed at Micah. "Watch your god damn mouth."

Micah sighed and backed off. "I'm sorry, Dutch. I guess I got a little carried away."

Arthur scoffed, then coughed and wheezed. "Yeah, keep listenin' to this fool, Dutch. See where it gets us."

Dutch looked at Arthur with another glimmer of doubt. "I...well...look, we got off track here. We are goin' after Cornwall at first light so I suggest you both get some rest."

Arthur nodded. "Fine." Arthur walked back to the tent to see a light on inside. "Shit." He walked in and saw Lilly sitting up in bed. "Did we wake you?"

Lilly nodded with a frown. "Thanks for standin' up for me, mo chuisle."

Arthur started undressing. "You're welcome, mo stór."

Arthur caught a glimpse of lust in his wife's sapphire eyes as he took his shirt off. He smiled at her, left his pants on and crawled towards her on the bed. "Mmmm, does somebody like me without a shirt on?" he asked, kissing her neck.

Lilly chuckled. "I do."

He got behind her and wrapped his arms around her to unbutton her shirt. He kept kissing her neck and then he reached in and massaged her breasts. Lilly's head went back and Arthur sucked on her earlobe. Lilly quickly took her shirt off, turned and pushed her husband on his back. She climbed on top of him and put his hands on her breasts.

"Tease me, Arthur." Arthur grasped her breasts and pinched both nipples. Lilly moaned out and threw her head back. "Yeah, just like that," she chuckled.

Arthur cupped her breasts and when Lilly looked down at him, her eyes went wide and she jumped off him, going to a corner of their tent. Arthur sat up and stared at her. "What's wrong?"

Lilly covered her chest and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, I...I had a moment."

Arthur got up and walked to her. "You okay?"

"Yes, I am...I think."

Arthur put a hand to her cheek. "We don't have to, you know. Not tonight."

Lilly looked at him sadly. "I don't want to disappoint you."

He rubbed his thumb on her lower lip. "If you can't do it, I-"

Lilly kissed him softly and he mirrored the kiss. "Thank you."

Arthur wrapped an arm around her and they went to bed. Arthur put out the light, snuggled behind her, and rested a hand on her belly. A few minutes later, he felt one of the babies kick and he chuckled when Lilly made her usual "oof" sound.

"Babies are on the move," he said.


	62. Noise

It was morning and Arthur, in his summer gunslinger outfit, kissed his sleeping wife. He said goodbye to the wolves who were half asleep on the floor and exited the tent. He took Rose into Annesburg to meet up with Micah and Dutch. When he got there, Micah and Dutch were waiting for him by the mining houses.

"You ready?" Dutch asked.

"Yes," Arthur said.

The trio walked up the road towards the mines and saw men with guns standing just outside the mining office. "I bet Cornwall's in there..." Dutch said.

Sure enough, the door slammed open and Leviticus came storming out. "I bought into this mine because of mismanagement, Mr. Didsbury, and I intend to make it a success, no matter what the cost."

"It's the wages," a man said as he came out of the office. "Folk feel..."

Leviticus interrupted him. "Folk feel?! Business doesn't give two figs about feelings, sir. Not two figs. It's a nonsense that will put a plague on both our houses, sir..."

"Perhaps there is a plague on your house already, Mr. Cornwall," Dutch said.

Leviticus looked over and sighed. "Mr. Van der Linde. I take it that business with Brutus was taken care of?"

"Of course."

"And Lilly?"

"She is a little better, though updatin' you on her well being is not exactly why we're here."

"What do you want?"

"I'm not quite sure, just yet," Dutch said with a finger up.

"Your impudence will be your undoing, sir."

Dutch put both his hands up. "I'm undone already." He pointed to Arthur. "Even my best friend here, he thinks I'm crazy...and like," Dutch motioned to Mr. Didsbury, "this poor fellow you are talking to, my feelings are hurt."

"You robbed me and took my niece."

"No. You took my daughter." Dutch pointed to Arthur. "His wife. And you," Dutch pointed to Cornwall, "want to kill her and take her children. And you robbed him," Dutch motioned to Mr. Didsbury. "Funny world."

"You show a criminal's grasp of sophistry. I did no such thing."

Dutch pointed again. "You kill. I kill. You rob. I rob." Cornwall moved closer. "Only difference I can see is I choose," Dutch motioned to himself, "whom I kill and rob, and you destroy everything in your path."

"I've heard just about enough."

"I'll tell you what. You give me your ship, ten thousand dollars and safe passage out of here, I'll let you live."

Leviticus started laughing along with his guards. "I'll do no such thing."

"You sure?" There was a pause of silence. "Good. I prefer it this way." Dutch quickly pulled out his gun and shot Leviticus Cornwall in the chest.

"You've lost your mind!" Arthur yelled as they ducked behind cover, the guards shooting at all three of them.

"Noise, Arthur! Noise!"

* * *

_Horses. An oak tree in a cave. The cave near Colter. Dutch shooting Leviticus Cornwall. Eagle Flies in camp. Dutch and Arthur jumping off a cliff into a river. Square charms in the woods. Butcher's Creek. Susan getting shot. Arthur talking to Sister_ _Calderon._

_"I'm afraid," he says with tears in his eyes._

_The snake in Dutch's ear. "Just shoot the girl, Dutch. Kill her."_

_Lilly finds herself on the riverbanks of Tír na nÓg. The old washerwoman is there washing blood stained clothes. She looks at Lilly with a smile._

_"Ah, there you are. Come come, help me wash." Lilly kneels down and helps the woman wash, but she says nothing. Badb frowns. "What is wrong, my child?"_

_"My husband is dyin'. I couldn't save Molly. There's a snake who is also a rat in the camp influencin' my Da, I was raped. Take your pick on what's wrong."_

_"All of those things, I would imagine."_

_"Yeah," Lilly scoffs._

_"Why didn't you follow the vision and feed Brutus to your wolves?"_

_Lilly sighs as she scrubs the soap into Susan's clothes. "Because I'm sick and tired of revenge. I've had plenty of it...too much of it. I'm done with it."_

_"Yes, but why do you feel this_ _way?"_

_"Hell if I know. I just want to save my husband and get to Ireland with everyone."_

_"Not everyone will be goin'."_

_Lilly stops and looks at Badb. "Why not?"_

_"Some people are going to leave the gang, my dear. They're losing hope."_

_"Can I help with that?"_

_"I'm afraid the damage is done, Lilly, but you can certainly try."_

_"And my fathers? Will they be coming to Ireland?"_

_The washer woman sighs. "One of your fathers, dear. The other stays behind, but that could change."_

_"_ _And Arthur? Is he goin' to die from tuberculosis?"_

_Babd sighs in frustration. "He didn't tell you?"_

_"Tell me what?"_

_"Honestly, does he never say anything to..." Badb looks off in the distance. "Oh no."_

_Lilly looks over at the horizon and sees a storm coming in. "What is that?"_

_Lightning strikes and thunder booms. "That is very dark magic penetrating our realm. I must get the others to safety."_

_The Badb turns into Nemain, in the form of the giant red wolf. "Lilly, you must go. This may be the last time you see Tír na nÓg for a while."_

_"Well, wait a minute. What about Arthur? Will he get better from my treatments? And what is that storm doing here?" She asked her three questions._

_"You shall see, my dear. You shall see. As for that storm, well...that you won't have to deal with for at least a year, maybe two. Now go."_

Lilly gasped when she woke up. What the hell was that all about? She got up immediately and started writing down her vision. When she was done, she went over her vision again. What did Arthur not tell her? What was that strange storm? Why would only one of her fathers possibly come to Ireland, and which one would it be? Lilly shook her head. She'd think on this later.

* * *

Arthur, Micah, and Dutch, on stolen horses, rode through the river as Cornwall's men chased them. Arthur shot the last one in sight.

"Looks like we've lost them!" Micah shouted.

"For now, maybe!" Arthur shouted back.

They drove the horses out of the river and onto a trail. Soon after that, they stopped. "We all okay?" Dutch asked as he dismounted.

Arthur shook his head with his hands on his hips. "Interestin' social call," he said before sliding off the horse.

"Don't play dumb and superior at the same time, Morgan," Micah said. "We all knew sooner or later Cornwall had to go."

Arthur nodded. "I know, but it had to be now? And like that, in front of all those people? It's more attention we don't need. Feels like the whole world's closin' on us. Dutch!" Arthur walked over to Dutch. "It won't be long before they find where we're hidin' out now, especially as we ain't exactly hidin' out!"

"We just need a distraction," Dutch assured Arthur. "Buy us some time."

Arthur scoffed. "Dutch, you have lost your mind."

Dutch glared at Arthur. "Oh really? Micah," Dutch looked over at Micah, "have I lost my mind?"

"On the contrary, boss, you have found your mind," Micah said, letting out a deep chuckle.

Arthur shook his head. "Dutch, you gotta start listenin' to folk. We are only lookin' out for you as you do us, but lately you haven't been lookin' out for anyone but yourself!"

"Oh, and who are you lookin' out for, Arthur?" Dutch snapped at him. "Because you've done a bang up job keepin' my daughter, your pregnant wife, safe! Goin' off and savin' John against my wishes, gettin' Lilly imprisoned, Lilly bein' raped! Was that you lookin' out for her?! Huh?! Was it?!" Dutch started shouting.

Arthur wanted to argue, but he found that he could not. "I just didn't want John hanged, Dutch."

Dutch sighed and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Neither did I. I know that what happened to Lilly wasn't your fault. I'm sorry, son. You were just...tryin' to do what you thought was best. But just...next time, listen to me. Have faith in me."

Arthur nodded. "I do have faith in you, but...you're not actin' like yourself lately. And we got so many people on our tail."

Dutch clapped his hand on Arthur and chuckled. "Well, at least Cornwall is gone. You know what that means, don't you?"

Arthur blinked, then he smiled. "Lilly no longer has a price on her head."

"Right."

Arthur laughed, as did Dutch. "Well, shit. That sure is somethin'."

Dutch smiled and pulled out some papers. "Micah got these yesterday from that Janson fella. It looks like Mr. Cornwall's company has signed a railroad contract with the army and they're also movin' dynamite down from, well, the Annesburg mines to Saint Denis to resell. And there's bonds at his oil factory. So maybe there's a way to get them off our back and get the money that we need. Micah's gonna look into this dynamite with Bill. Arthur, you go too. We're gonna need a lot of it," Dutch said, walking over to his stolen horse. "And Micah, we need to talk. Figure out some things."

"'Course, boss," Micah replied.

"Figure out what?" Arthur asked.

They both looked at Arthur. "The plan," Dutch replied to Arthur's question. "Gettin' outta here. Nothin's changed."

Arthur didn't like this. "It hasn't, huh?"

"There's an old house west of Van Horn," Micah said. "Meet me there when you can, Black Lung."

"Let's split up. We'll meet up back at camp," Dutch said, and with that, Micah and Dutch went riding off.

What the hell kind of plan was Dutch discussing with Micah, and why wasn't Arthur part of it? He went and found Rose, got rid of the stolen horse, and got back to camp. Lilly was just mounting up with Brian and James at her side when he got back to camp. She smiled at him and leaned down when he neared her. "Hello, mo chuisle."

"Hello, mo stór," Arthur dismounted and gave her a quick peck. "We need to talk."

"I agree. I had another vision this morning."

"Cornwall's dead."

Lilly's eyebrows raised. "Let me guess. Dutch shot him."

Arthur chuckled. "Yes, was that in your vision?"

"Yep. Is that what you wanted to discuss?"

"Yes. Where were you about to head off to?"

"To go hunt some elk."

"Well, let's go huntin'."

* * *

Arthur and Lilly, after shooting down a bull elk and some deer, set up camp in the mountains and went hiking. Once again, Arthur felt better with his breathing and smiled at his doting wife who had decided to bring goats milk with. "You know, I think there's somethin' to this exercising in the mountains," he commented as he took a drink of milk from the leather pouch.

Lilly made a face, and Arthur couldn't tell what it meant. "That's good."

"Is somethin' wrong?"

"I..." she fiddled with her fingers and they stopped walking. "...Arthur, do you really think the hiking in the mountains and the milk is gonna work, or are you just tryin' to make me feel better?"

Arthur chuckled. "Don't be so negative. In fact, I might fully recover, accordin' to The Morrigan."

Lilly lifted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Three days before we got you, she came by to tell us what was happening and where to be and when to get you. She also said I'd be healed, but not just yet."

Lilly's eyes looked happy all of a sudden. "That's...that's wonderful news!" Lilly jumped into his arms and kissed all over his face. "You wonderful, wonderful man!"

Arthur laughed. "Yes, I am. I'm comin' to Ireland with you and I will be there for the," he switched to an Irish accent, "wee bairns, me beautiful lass."

He heard Lilly giggle and she turned around to look at him. "You do such a horrible accent."

Arthur didn't stop talking like an Irishman. "Oh, me dear bonnie Irish lass, dunna make me out to be a gobshite, now."

Lilly burst into a fit of giggles and Arthur was glad to see her smiling again. "Stop it," she laughed. "You're such an eejit."

Arthur caressed her rump with both hands. "I canna help it, lassie. This lad loves ya and wants ya tah smile as much as the day is long."

Lilly chuckled and kissed Arthur. "I love you, Arthur."

"And I love you, Lilly. Now," he said, pecking her nose with a kiss. "More hikin'?"

Lilly smirked evily, leaned in, and licked his earlobe. "I was thinkin' of a different sort of," Lilly started unbuckling his belt, "exercise regiment for you."

"Ooh," he said happily. "What did you have in mind?"

Lilly unbuttoned his pants and reached inside to feel his member. He groaned and pushed into her hand. "The kind where I suck your cock."

Arthur laughed and kissed her deeply. "I think I approve."

The boys groaned and went running off. Lilly laughed and got on her knees. "I bet you do."

Lilly pulled him out of his pants and sucked on the tip. Arthur felt his knees get weak and he groaned as he put a hand in Lilly's auburn hair. "God, Lillian..."

It felt incredible and he wished she did it more often, but she didn't seem to know this. Right now, though, he was not going to complain as he felt her mouth envelope him fully. His cock started getting hard and her head began to move back and forth. He leaned his head back and looked up the sky. Arthur grabbed Lilly's head with both hands and guided her movements. Fingers began playing with his testicles and he groaned deeply. "Mmm, yeah, that's my girl."

Arthur looked down at his wife and his mouth parted as his breathing got heavier. He started wheezing and suddenly went into a coughing fit. Lilly stopped and stood up. "Oh shite, I'm sorry!"

Arthur shook his head and covered his mouth. It's fine. You're...you're..." suddenly he got very dizzy and collapsed to the ground. Lilly bent over him and Arthur could tell she was talking but he couldn't really make it out.

"...breathe, mo chuisle...get it all out...all out."

Arthur continued coughing and hacking blood and phlegm onto the ground, and then he went unconscious.

* * *

Lilly stared at her husband's sleeping form in the makeshift tent and frowned. It was going to be dark soon. They needed to get back. She cooked all the elk and deer meat for them both and packed them into her satchel. At some point the boys came back with dead rabbit offerings and Lilly laughed at how small the rabbits were compared to her giant brothers. She stroked both their necks and realized she didn't even need to bend down to do that anymore. They were, in fact, almost as tall as her now at the top of their heads. The Morrigan's wolf form was still bigger, though. The giant red wolf stood at least six feet at her head. Lilly scruffed them gently and gave them kisses on their necks. Arthur made a soft groan and Lilly peeked over at the tent. He sat up slowly and wheezed, which made Lilly frown.

"You hungry, Arthur? Thirsty?" she asked him.

"Not really," he wheezed.

"Hmm." She pulled out her satchel and grabbed a medicinal shot. "You're gonna need one of these, I think. You still sound like a broken bagpipe."

Lilly went over to the tent and gave him his shot. "Thank you," he said. "Can we...can we just go home now?"

Lilly nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

It was the next morning and Arthur, in a black shirt, legion vest, black pants, black western boots and his hat, decided to go around camp checking on everyone before him, Dutch and Micah left. Karen was drunk, Jack was sad, Abigail was worried, Sean was barely upbeat, Uncle was dejected, John was giving up hope, Mr. Pearson knew things were falling apart, Hosea was trying to keep things together because Dutch was not, and mostly everyone else had various yet similar feelings.

Arthur got to Swanson, who was reading a book, and Arthur coughed a little. "Reverend..." he said.

"You okay, Mr..Morgan?" asked the reverend.

Arthur huffed with a twist of his head and a sad, small smile. "I don't know, Reverend."

Reverend Swanson closed his book and stood. "These are challenging times, for all of us."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, very challengin'."

Swanson looked concerned. "You don't seem yourself, somehow. I've always felt...I've left the morphine, sir. I'm-"

"Arthur!" Dutch interrupted. "Reverend Swanson, would you excuse us a minute."

Arthur pat Swanson on the arm. "Of course," Swanson said as Arthur walked to Dutch just outside the Morgan tent.

"Is Lilly sleeping still?" Dutch asked.

Arthur poked his head in and nodded. "Yep. She is out like a light." He looked at Dutch as they both sat down in chairs. "Why?"

"They have been chasin' us south and east and west. We're gonna get a boat, we're gonna get on a river, and we're gonna go north to New York. Then another boat to Ireland. But we have to make a whole lot of smoke," Dutch said with a raised and clenched fist. "A whole lot of commotion, and then we disappear."

"We need more commotion?

"One score, and one whole hell of a lot of noise."

Arthur shook his head. "We ain't so good at doin' scores any more, Dutch," he said as he leaned forward.

Dutch stared at him in disbelief. "Are you feelin' alright, Arthur?"

Arthur decided Dutch needed to know about the rat and the snake vision. "Dutch, I'm wonderin' the same about you, and Lilly had a-"

"Pardon me for interrupting," Charles said.

There was an Indian that Charles and Karen let in. It was Eagle Flies. Dutch and Arthur stood up. "I've brought a friend, Arthur."

"Hello," Arthur said in greeting.

"Hello," Eagle Flies said back.

They shook hands. "Dutch, this is Eagle Flies. His father is a great chief. Lilly and Charles, they, uh..."

"Pretended to be mercenaries," Eagle said. "Did me a great favor."

Dutch extended his hand and Eagle Flies shook it. "Dutch van der Linde. How do you do?"

"Not well, sir."

"Well, I am sorry to hear that."

Just then, Lilly came out in a red button down shirt, brown jeans, black riding boots, and a bulldogger hat. Her hair was in a braid. "What's goin' on out here?" she said. "Ah, Eagle Flies," she said with a head nod. "How are you?"

"Not well," he said, shaking her hand.

"Oh?"

"Father has confused wisdom with weakness. His people, my people, we've suffered too much, been lied to too much. Now, they've taken our horses."

"Who?" Dutch asked Eagke Flies with a scrunched brow.

"The infantry division posted at Fort Wallace," Charles said.

"Why?"

"Colonel Favours is a liar and a murderer. His people won't stop until we're all dead. Without horses, we cannot hunt. Without hunting, we will starve. This is another act of war!" Eagle Flies said angrily.

Dutch nodded. "I see that."

"You have helped me before," Eagle Flies said to Lilly. "And I have money."

"Put your money away, son," Dutch said to him. "What do you think, Charles?"

"You know I told your father I will not fight over some horses," said Charles.

"But I made no such promise," Dutch said.

Hosea intervened. "Dutch, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Athair, please. These people need help," Lilly said. "Shit, let's go get your horses."

Eagle Flies looked at Lilly. "But...you are well into your pregnancy. Are you sure you can-"

Lilly laughed. "Oh, trust me. I'll be fine."

Lilly followed Eagle Flies and Dutch. Hosea shook his head. "This isn't gonna end well," he said, walking away.

"Arthur, we must go with them to try and stop things from getting...out of hand," Charles insisted.

"Well, of course I'm goin' since Lilly's goin', but yes. Come along..." Arthur said and the two walked in the direction of their horses. "We can get them more horses."

"I know. I understand Eagle Flies is angry, but I don't see how this will help anything."

"Especially not with Dutch whipping him and Lilly into a frenzy. We got enough folks comin' after us without adding an army to the list." Arthur and Charles mounted up.

"You're goin' to let these bastards walk all over you? No, you're not!" said Dutch. "This is all that's wrong in this world. Okay, young man, lead the way."

"The horses are on a boat near Van Horn," said Eagle Flies. I have a man waiting for us there with canoes."

"Surely this can be done without killing anyone?" Charles said as they rode out of camp.

"Of course. What will be will be," Dutch said. "Anyway, son, tell me about this Colonel Favours."

"He's a vile man. He and his regiment take pleasure in persecuting us. All the young have been taken from our reservation, shipped off to reform schools. Many women too. The old are weak and sick, but they deliberately withhold medicine and supplies from us," Eagle Flies explained.

"This ends today. You have my word on that."

Arthur rode up beside Dutch again. "Why are you gettin' involved in this, Dutch?"

Lilly trotted next to her husband. "Arthur, what those men are doin' to these people is wrong. We can't just stand by while they suffer, at least I can't," Lilly said with a sad look on her face.

"That's right. You know me. We shoot fellers as need shootin', we save fellers as need savin', feed them as need feedin'," Dutch said with a smile.

"Not this again. It's been quite a while since we helped anyone but ourselves, and even you know that," Arthur complained.

"Then this is a perfect opportunity to break that selfish streak," Lilly said. "Besides, we been on the run in case ya haven't noticed, mo chuisle. We've been needin' to look after ourselves, first and foremost."

"Right!" Dutch said, pointing to his daughter. "I told you," he looked at Arthur. "Noise. We need noise, Arthur. Noise and faith."

"I still don't know what that means," Arthur said.

"Stop questionin' and think. Just think for a second. The Pinkertons have had time to reinforce. The civilized world is closing on us. Who knows what else Molly told them? We need to-"

"I keep tellin' ya, Da! Molly was not the rat!"

"She confessed to it, Lilly!"

"She was drunk! She'd say anythin'! She loved ya, Da! And ya let Grimshaw shoot her! I wilna forgive either of ya fer it, neither!"

Lilly rode up ahead past them and Dutch sighed. "She's so stubborn, Arthur."

"So was Molly. So are you."

Dutch chuckled deeply. "I suppose you're right."

Arthur thought now would be a good time to mention Lilly's vision. "Dutch, look. She's bein' like this because she was supposed to save Molly from gettin' killed."

Dutch gaped at him. "What?"

"She had a vision of Molly's death. She also had a vision about a rat in camp, and a snake whisperin' in your ear."

"A snake whisperin' in my ear?" Dutch cackled. "That's ridiculous! We don't got snakes!"

"She thinks it's symbolic. And if I'm bein' honest, a...heh heh, a fortune tellin' blind man kinda told me the same thing. And he told Lilly the rat and the snake are the same person."

Dutch sighed. "What does it mean, then?"

"We think someone in camp is manipulatin' your behavior."

Dutch narrowed his eyes. "No one can tell me what to do except me, Arthur."

* * *

Lilly rode up to Charles and Eagle Flies. She was still quite sour about what happened to Molly and apparently it showed. "You alright, Lilly?" Charles asked.

"No, I'm not. Da still thinks Molly was the rat," she replied bitterly.

"She wasn't?"

"Not accordin' to my..." Lilly paused as she eyed Eagle Flies who was looking at her strangely. "...my sources."

"What sources do you have that determines someone's character?" Eagle Flies asked her.

"It's complicated, Eagle Flies. Very complicated." She looked over at Charles. "We have a snake, too. Someone is changin' Da."

"Someone or something?" Charles pointed out.

"Hmm. Good point." Lilly hadn't considered that and thought about the dark magical storm in Tír na nÓg. Were they somehow connected? "Perhaps it is both."

"I don't follow." Lilly eyeballed Eagle Flies again. He looked quite interested in what Lilly had to say, but it wasn't his business and she didn't know him well enough to reveal her abilities. "Lilly, Eagle Flies can be trusted, you know."

"Maybe," Lilly said, glancing at Charles. "I haven't decided that for myself yet."

Eagle Flies gave her a frown. "You don't trust me with information?"

"You didn't trust me with my wolves, why should I trust you with anythin'?"

As if on cue, Lilly heard howling and they all stopped. Brian and James came out of the woods and Eagle Flies' eyes went wide. "They're...they're so much bigger than when I last saw them."

Lilly dismounted and greeted her brothers. "What are you boys up to?" They whined at her and pawed her arm. Lilly laughed and hugged them both. "I'm sorry, boys, but it's too much of a risk to bring you along. Besides, you won't even fit in the canoes."

"Ah, Lilly, let them come for a little bit," Arthur said. "Clearly they want to be around you."

The wolves groaned deeply at her and she sighed. "You can come with until we get to the canoes, but after that? You guys gotta go."

Lilly mounted back up and the group went forward. "Do they actually understand you?" Eagle Flies asked her.

"Ha! You don't know the half of it."


	63. The Horses

"We need to move towards a conclusion now," Dutch explained to Arthur.

"Sure, but what's this gotta do with any of that?" Arthur asked him.

"Some good honest conflict between the army and the Indians might be just the distraction we need. Kill two birds with one stone. Cornwall was funding the Pinkertons' assault on us. Why do you think I dealt with him?"

"For Lilly!" Arthur barked out. "Or is that another two birds with one stone analogy?"

"Yes, it is. We got revenge for what happened to Lilly, and with Cornwall gone, the government is far more likely to divert them to other issues, especially if there's one more scandal. And then we can slip away. Like I said, we just need that noise and one more score. You know, I went back for the chest I had hidden outside Shady Belle, and we're close, Arthur. That dynamite, the railroad contract with the army, it was all in those papers Micah found. I have a plan. You just have to trust me."

"Revenge, huh?" Arthur said. "I ain't so sure revenge is what Lilly wants anymore, Dutch. You saw what she did to Brutus."

"Yes, and that concerns me. I should ask her what you and Hosea were talkin' about."

The group got near the river and Arthur saw an Indian and two canoes down a ways. They dismounted and walked over.

"There's Paytah," Eagle Flies said as he pointed to the other Indian. Paytah stood up but backed up when he saw Brian and James. He gaped at Eagle Flies and he laughed. "It's okay, Paytah. These are Mrs. Morgan's wolves, Brian and James." Eagle directed to the three respectively. "These men, and her, like I said...they'll help us."

"I got the canoes," said Paytah, then he pointed out to the river. "The boat is still moored in the channel."

"Good. Let's wait 'til nightfall."

They set up a small camp site near the river and Lilly settled next to Arthur near a large boulder. The wolves nestled down near her and she scratched behind their ears. "So," Dutch said as he approached them both. "Lilly, can we talk about somethin'?"

Lilly smiled up at him. "Sure, Da. 'Bout what?"

Dutch knelt down in front of her. "Hosea and Arthur said somethin' about what Catherine Braithwaite said to you. Would you mind tellin' me what they meant?"

Arthur saw Lilly's face go pale. "Da, I..."

"If you don't want me to know, that's okay. But can you explain this...this snake and rat business?"

Lilly sighed. "I believe someone is manipulatin' you, Da. I don't know who, and I can't prove it yet, but I'm tellin' ya, Molly wasn't our rat."

Dutch sighed. "Maybe so, but..."

"But nothin', Da!" She stood up. "Excuse me." Lilly turned and walked away from them both and the boys followed.

Arthur shook his head. "She's takin' Molly's death really hard."

Dutch nodded. "I...I am, too. I loved her, Arthur."

"I know."

"But if she wasn't the rat, she was...Christ, Arthur..."

* * *

Lilly found an oak tree not too far from camp and took a deep breath. The boys followed and stood guard over her as she pressed her hands to the trunk and shut her eyes.

_Horses in the water. A brown liquid in a river. An explosion on a boat. Penelope Braithwaite writing a letter. Beau Gray at the train station in Rhodes. A hand in the dirt. Plants, trees, and animals dying from a darkness comsuming them. A rat and a snake being born from the darkness. Arthur fighting a big man with a small head._ _Arthur chasing after a very small man._

Lilly backed away from the tree and covered her mouth with a giggle. "Ó a Dhia..." _[Oh my God...]_

"Is everything alright, Mrs. Morgan?" Lilly turned around and saw Eagle Flies staring at her. "What were you doing just now?"

Lilly pressed a hand to her stomach. "Oh, uh...just the wee bairns kickin' about. Sometimes it tickles."

"I see." Eagle approached her. "I owe you an apology, Mrs. Morgan."

"You do?" Lilly said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. For how I treated you at the party, and when we were with Mr. Miller."

"Oh. Well, um," Lilly bit her lip. "Apology accepted."

Eagle Flies smiled. "I'm glad you do."

Lilly looked down at Brian and James who were both panting and looking up at Eagle Flies with excitement in their eyes. Her nose wrinkled as she looked at them with confusion in her mind. "What is wrong with you two?"

They groaned at her and Brian nuzzled her hand. She chuckled and scratched his head. "They really do love you, don't they..." Eagle Flies said in astonishment.

"Yes, and I them." Lilly looked up at the sky. "Hmm, we got a long way to go 'til it gets dark." Lilly looked at Eagle Flies with a friendly smile.

"Who are you?" Eagle Flies asked her.

"Who am I? I'm Lilly."

"I mean...there's more to you. Who are you?"

Lilly felt a twinge in the back of her neck. "I don't think I understand what you're gettin' at, Eagle Flies."

Eagle tilted his head. "Our shaman says you are special...that you have two spirits in you."

Lilly's eyebrows raised. Shit. "Not sure what you mean."

"Who is the other?"

Lilly smirked. "You are a very curious man, aren't you?"

"Yes. I don't understand what he means, though. How can a person have two spirits?"

"Well..." Lilly chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "I suppose your shaman sees a lot of things."

"Yes." Eagle looked to the sky. "He said he would like to meet you and the wolves."

Lilly made a face of bewilderment. "You mean go to Wapiti? Oh I don't, heh heh heh, I don't think we'd get much of a welcome."

"Why not?"

"Well, I'm not a native. And they're, well, they're humongous."

"Wolves are sacred to our tribe. We respect them a great deal."

A look of revelation played on her face. "Ah. I can see why you were angry about me havin' them, then."

"Yes. But they seem happy with you. And I suppose they are better off with you than out in the wild. Giant beasts like them would be hunted and killed," Eagle Flies said sadly.

"Ha! These boys are pretty hard to kill."

"Are they?"

"Yes. They uh...let's just say they recover from pretty much everythin'."

Lilly and Eagle Flies, along with the boys, walked around the woods and continued their chatting. Eagle Flies was very curious about her life so she told him some of it. About her family and their deaths, about her life as a noble, about her life with the Dutch van der Linde gang, and about her life with Arthur. Eagle Flies seemed impressed by her, which was unexpected. She asked him about his life. He'd had a older brother who died, along with his mother. Both were killed by the U.S. Army and shortly after that, his tribe had been moved to the Wapiti Reservation. Lilly immediately empathized with him about it. However, he hadn't seen them die. Soon, Eagle Flies and Lilly rejoined the group and Arthur looked a little mad about how long they'd both been gone. They were about to eat lunch when Arthur pulled her to the side.

"A word, my wife," he demanded with a restrained angry tone.

Lilly raised a brow at his behavior. "Um, okay?"

He immediately dragged her into the woods and started yelling at her. "What the hell was that about?!"

Lilly's face scrunched up. "Excuse me? What was what about?"

"You and Eagle Flies!"

Lilly started laughing at him. "Oh God, don't tell me you're jealous now. Nothin' happened, ya silly man!"

"Well, what am I supposed to think when you and him are gone for hours?"

"We were just talkin', is all. Jesus, Arthur. Just gettin' to know each other."

Arthur scowled at her. "I bet he was!"

Lilly's mouth parted. "Do ya honestly think I would cheat on ya?!"

Arthur looked abashed. "Just next time, don't do that!"

A scoff of bemusement came out of her mouth. "I will do what I damn well please, ya jealous bastard!"

"Inconsiderate hag!"

"Pompous asshole!"

"Unfaithful harlot!"

Lilly shook her head. "I didn't cheat, you eejit. I been faithful to ya, always!"

"Not with Brutus!"

Lilly's eyes widened. She couldn't believe her ears. "What the hell did ya just say tah me?!"

"You heard me!"

"Ya honestly think I wanted it? Are ya fuckin' daft?!" Lilly shouted furiously. "I was _raped_ , ya eejit! I was chained the fuck down with an enchanted collar around me god damn neck and there was nothin' I could do! I tried to fight him, I tried to get away! And I still feel guilty about it, and ya wanna go and make me feel worse about it?" Lilly shoved him. "Fuck you, Arthur!"

"Don't you mean fuck Brutus?!"

Lilly felt Adair clawing to get out. She was surrounded by light and Adair came out, pushing Arthur to the ground and squeezing his throat with her red wings flapping about. "How dare you insult your wife like that! I was there, I saw, no, I _felt_ the whole thing and the only thing she kept thinking was how you would never forgive her! And this is exactly why she did not tell you in the first place!"

_"Adair! Let go of him! Yer gonna make him have a coughin' fit!"_

Arthur grasped at his neck as his face turned red. "Let go of me," he gasped out.

_"Adair! Stop it! NOW!"_

Adair changed back into Lilly and she let go of him. Arthur rolled over and started coughing like crazy. Lilly pat his back with tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she sobbed.

Arthur regained his faculties, rolled back over and held her to him. "No, I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing for me to say," Arthur uttered breathlessly.

Lilly sobbed into his chest and Arthur held her closer. They pressed their foreheads together. "Forgiven."

"Forgiven," Arthur repeated.

"Adair, dunna ya ever do that again! Takin' me over and hurtin' me husband like that! Shame on ya!"

_"I am sorry, Lilly, but he wa-"_

"As ucht Dé, we fight like this all the bloody time, it's nothin' new!"

Arthur kissed Lilly's forehead. "It's alright, Adair. I'm not mad. You were right to do that."

Lilly sighed and sat on her husband's groin. "No she wasn't! She is not allowed tah control me like that, nor is she allowed tah attack ya! Not ever!"

_"I am sorry, Lilly."_

"It's best if we dunna speak fer a while, Adair! I am so angry with ya!"

_"But Lilly!"_

Arthur put his hands on Lilly's hips. "I'm sorry I got jealous. I just feel-"

Lilly shushed him. "Ya lay off me husband! I mean it! He is mine, ya old feckin' witch!"

Arthur looked up at his wife amusingly. "Oooh, so possessive, Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly snarled. "Damn right I am!" She leaned down and kissed him deeply. "No one fights you but me."

Arthur rolled her over and he hovered. "Mmmm, all this talk is makin' me want you so very much, m'lady."

Lilly stared up at him with lust in her eyes. "You haven't called me that in a while...m'lord."

Arthur chortled into her neck. "I keep forgettin' you like it. Keep talkin', m'lady."

Lilly leaned up and nibbled his throat, making him groan in pleasure. "You belong to me, Arthur. I would kill any woman who would dare touch you."

"Ooh hoo hoo," Arthur guffawed. "You beautiful, possessive woman."

Lilly pulled him on top of her and wrapped her legs around him. "I'm bein' serious, mo chuisle. You are mine, and I am yours."

"Yeah, you are mine," Arthur said as he licked the crook of her neck. "All mine. You have no idea how much I enjoyed beatin' that man to a pulp."

* * *

_Arthur hastily and angrily strapped Brutus down to a chair in the back of the cavern. He was so furious, he was seeing red. The nerve of this bastard. For him to even think about touching Lilly infuriated him. Once he was done tying Brutus up, Arthur punched the man repeatedly as Hosea, Micah, Dutch, Brian and James came running in._

_"Arthur!" Dutch yelled. "What are you doin'?!"_

_Arthur continued to beat the man. Brutus only laughed at him. "What's the matter, Morgan? You jealous that I had your woman all to myself? Her pussy is so sw-"_

_"Shut the fuck up!" Arthur snapped angrily. "You're gonna be chewed up and spit out by my wife's wolves!"_

_To emphasize the threat, Brian and James circled around the man like the wild predators they were. Arthur punched the man again and managed to knock out some teeth. Brutus leaned and spit them out._ _"Is she here? I'd love to fuck her again, right in front of you because she loved it!" Brutus said, laughing at Arthur._

_Arthur charged him again and pummeled his face again and again, then his stomach repeatedly and he kicked the man's legs until Hosea and Dutch pulled him back. "Hey hey hey, save some for Lilly!" Dutch said._

_Arthur turned and glared at Dutch who backed off. Micah started laughing. "Why'd you stop him? Brutus deserves to be tortured. I say let Brian and James go at him."_

_Brian and James inched closer to Brutus, their jaws open, teeth showing, hackles raised, and in a position to pounce. Brutus stared at them wide eyed and began to struggle. "You boys are sick," he mumbled._

_Arthur scowled. "We're sick?! You raped and tortured a pregnant woman! You scarred her fucking face!"_

_Arthur went and punched Brutus in the face again. The audacity of him calling the rest of them sick. That was the only coherent thought Arthur could manage because he was so furious, he couldn't even think straight. Hosea and Dutch pulled him back again._ _"Arthur, let's go get Lilly," Dutch said. "Calm down, son. Just calm down."_

_Arthur was directed towards the entrance of the cave when he felt his eyes water. "He raped her, Dutch. He fucking raped my wife."_

_Dutch pat him on the shoulder. "I know. I'm mad about it too, but Lilly will get over it. She's a strong young woman."_

_Arthur plopped on the cave floor and started to weep. "Jesus Christ, Dutch..."_

_Dutch knelt down and shook his shoulder lightly. "Hey hey, get yourself together."_

_"I can't right now. I was supposed to protect her and I didn't. I put her in danger."_

_"Arthur, what's important right now is that she's alive and back with us."_

_"But what if she did like it?"_

_Dutch scoffed. "Don't you believe a word that fool says. He's only doing it to rile you up."_

_Arthur nodded and wiped his tears. "You're right. You're right. I just...I feel awful."_

_Dutch helped Arthur up. "So do I. Now go get Lilly."_

_Arthur nodded and walked out of the cave._

* * *

Lilly frowned and kissed Arthur's cheek. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Arthur asked her.

"For all of that. What you just told me. I didn't know Brutus said all that stuff. If I had known, I probably would have let the wolves eat him."

Arthur chuckled and kissed her deeply. "You're safe now, mo ghrá. No more gigantic bounties on your head, and no one else is after you. It's over."

"Except Mr. Pierce. We need to take care of that fucker."

"Oh yeah. Heh. Don't worry. We'll find him and we'll kill him. Now..." Arthur put a hand on her hip and kissed her throat and Lilly let out a soft moan. "Keep talkin', Mrs. Morgan."

* * *

As night fell, everyone broke down camp. "Alright, let's head out," Eagle Flies said.

Lilly shooed the boys off and they went running. Lilly and the rest got into the canoes. She got in with Paytah and Eagle Flies while Charles, Dutch, and Arthur were in the other and the group began to paddle out. The trip was silent until they got to the boat. "Good luck," Paytah said.

Eagle Flies climbed up first then helped Lilly up. Eagle hung off the side and grabbed the other canoe as Lilly hid behind a crate. "Pull up alongside, quietly," whispered Dutch.

The men climbed into the bigger boat and they squatted down. "Try not to kill anyone, Arthur," Charles spoke softly.

Arthur snuck up behind a man and put him in a choke hold until the man passed out. Lilly waited as the others went to knock out the others and then she went into the stables. She did her best to calm the spooked horses.

"Shhh," she whispered. "You're okay." When they wouldn't quiet down, Lilly began to hum a tune. Almost immediately, the horses stopped bucking and neighing and began to listen to her. Apparently humming worked too. All of a sudden she heard gunshots and the horses got spooked again. "As ucht Dé..."

The firing ceased. "Boys, go find out about those horses down below," she heard Dutch say. "Arthur, deal with that anchor."

Lilly pat one of the horses and hummed in its ear softly, and the beast became calm.

"You think I have the first idea how this anchor works?" Arthur snapped.

Charles and Eagle Flies came to help ease the riled up horses. "Just blow it up then. Hurry!" Dutch shouted.

Lilly froze. "Oh shit." She went running to Arthur. "No don't blow it up! It's gonna-" But it was too late. Arthur already lit the stick. "Fuck!" Lilly ran back to the horses. "We need to get them out now."

"But why?" Charles asked

"Because the boat is gonna-" There was a big explosion but nothing happened to the boat itself. Lilly sighed. "Nevermind. I just had a feelin'," Lilly said, eyeballing Charles.

He gave her a look of awareness. "Oh."

The boat started moving...a little too fast. Lilly looked out front by the bow and scowled. "Uh, Da?! What are ya doin'?"

"We seem to be goin' pretty fast, Dutch!" Arthur shouted up at him.

"I'm trying!" Dutch shouted back. "We're headin' to those rocks!"

Lilly looked at Charles. "Okay, _now_ we need to let them out."

"Hold on!"

The boat hit rocks and Lilly almost toppled over the side. "Shit!"

"What is wrong with you?!" Arthur snapped at Dutch. "You alright back there?" Arthur asked everyone else.

"Yeah, I think so," Charles said as Lilly started opening the stable doors with Eagle Flies. "But there's a huge hole in the boat! Horses are spooked and we're taking on water!"

"Come on, let's get 'em outta here!"

Lilly got the last door open. "Go! Shoo!"

The horses all ran into the water and started swimming around. The men started vacating the boat but Arthur scolded Dutch. "Well whatever else is wrong with you, you're quite the best pilot I've ever come across!"

Arthur jumped into the water as Lilly was swimming to one of the buckskin colored American

Standardbreds. Lilly mounted up and started guiding the horses to shore. "Come on, beasties." Lilly clicked her tongue a few times. "Come on."

The horses followed and Arthur got on the other buckskin standardbred. Lilly and Arthur guided an appaloosa with them. "Well, that was fun," Arthur spat sarcastically.

Lilly cackled. "Yeah. You know, maybe I'm just cursed when it comes to boats."

Arthur wheezed out a laugh. "Maybe you are, Lilly."

They finally made it to shore and the couple dismounted then walked towards their own horses to regroup with the others. "Ah, seems like Uncle Sam likes you fellas even less than he likes us!" Dutch said.

"So it goes. My father doesn't want to fight again," Eagle Flies said. Arthur started coughing and wheezing and Lilly went to him. "Will one of you help me return the horses to my men?"

"You okay?" Lilly asked her husband.

"Mmhmm," Arthur said with a nod. "I'm fine."

"Well, Arthur will..." Dutch motioned to Arthur but then saw how he was doing. "Ah, Arthur needs to rest. I will. I like you, son. And after the horses, are we gonna wait for the army to come and wreak its revenge?"

"I hope not," Eagle Flies responded.

"Of course we ain't! Now let's go check out that fort of theirs."

"Is this a good idea?" Arthur asked Dutch.

"This is the only idea and it is one that will suit both of our purposes." Dutch got on The Count.

"Fightin' the army ain't wise."

"Stop worryin'. Oh, and Sadie told me about Colm. Meet us at Doyle's Tavern in Saint Denis when you can. Shall we go, son?"

"Certainly," Eagle replied.

"We'll start some light reconnaissance out at Fort Wallace and when Colm's dealt with, you come meet us there. We'll set up a good spot for you."

"I don't know, Dutch," Arthur growled lightly.

"Yeah well I do! This is exactly the distraction that we need."

Charles went to Eagle Flies. "Your father said that fighting was an impossible gamble. There's no winning for you in this," Charles said to him.

"Father need not know anything, he'd rather live in ignorance," said Eagle Flies.

"Come along, gentlemen!" Dutch announced.

"Your father would rather you did not do anything so foolish!" Charles persisted as Eagle Flies, Paytah, and Dutch rode away. Charles turned to Arthur. "I said I would stop this from happening...would you talk to him?"

"Speak with Rains Fall?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. Would you?"

"Sure. I'll speak with him."

Lilly frowned. "Wait a minute here, what was wrong with what we did? We got their horses back and these Indians need help, Charles! I mean, you're half Indian yourself! Doesn't it bother you that-"

"Of course it bothers me!" Charles snapped at her. "But there's nothing we or anyone else can do about it."

Lilly sighed and shook her head. Arthur put a hand on Charles' shoulder. "You head on back to camp, check on the others. Dutch's behavior, it's..." Arthur paused and took in a deep breath through his nose.

"I understand." Charles got on Taima and headed out. "Thank you, Arthur."

Lilly shook her head and walked to her horse Liath. Arthur followed her to Rose. "What's wrong with you?"

Lilly scowled. "I just can't stand to watch those people suffer like this. They lost everything and the stupid bloody army keeps taking more and more from them." Lilly stopped and turned to Arthur. "It's unjust! It's...it's...it's bullshit!"

Arthur huffed and put a hand on his hip. "Well, my wife, what do you think is gonna happen now that Dutch is involved? That every Indian will get saved somehow? That the U.S. army will stop and leave them alone?"

"Yes! I believe that!" Lilly snapped.

Arthur growled and mounted on Rose. "If you say so."

Lilly crossed her arms. "So what's this about Colm?"

"Oh. Colm is gonna get hanged in Saint Denis."

Lilly started laughing. "You shittin' me, lad?"

Arthur cackled. "No, I'm not. But while I'm down there, I need to go get Pe-"

"Penelope Braithwaite? Her and Beau are finally runnin' off together?" Lilly said with a smirk.

Arthur leaned on the horn of his saddle, chuckled, and smiled at his wife lovingly. "Did you see the letter or was this in a vision?"

"A vision. You also have to fight a very tall man with a small head, then chase after a tiny one. Oh, and you gotta go deal with Butcher's Creek, I believe."

"Yeah, there's somethin' weird goin' on there. Some Indian shaman talkin' 'bout the place bein' cursed. Had to fight off "demon dogs" and now I gotta go deal with demon charms and...but where is the tall guy at?"

"Van Horn."

"Hmm. Well, looks like we are gonna have some adventures if you're up for it."

Lilly smiled. "I am."

"Then let's go pack for a long journey, mo stór."

Lilly and Arthur trotted off together and the wolves joined up with them somewhere down the trail.

* * *

Lilly looked at the letter that Penelope Braithwaite sent to Arthur and she started laughing while he packed. "My family have turned quite mad and are threatening to send me away, to stop my work, which they say is disgracing them. As if their history of absolute moral depravity, utter debauchery and perpetual drunkenness did not disgrace them enough!"

Arthur wheezed out a cackle and pointed at the note. "That part made me laugh, too."

"Well we're gonna show them, ain't we mo chuisle?"

"We sure is."

Lilly finished packing her traveling supplies and ate a pickle. "Better make sure I'm stocked up on these babies."

Arthur chuckled. "No carrots and chocolate, hmm?"

"Ooooh can we stop somewhere and get those too? Please?"

"Of course. We gotta stop there anyways."

"Are we goin' to Butcher's Creek first? It's on the way."

"Yup."

They both finished packing and brought their stuff out to the horses Liath and Rose. Sean and Karen walked up to them both. "Where are you two runnin' off to?" Karen asked.

"An adventure," Lilly said with a bounce to her voice.

"An adventure? Doin' what?"

"Lilly had some visions about some folks. Hey, you two can come along if you want."

Sean and Karen smiled at each other then back at Arthur. "Hell yes!" Karen shouted.

"Alright, well go get packed. Hurry up now."

Sean and Karen went running and Lilly smiled at her husband. "This should be interestin'," she said, pulling out some salted beef and chewing on it.

"Yes it will," Arthur said with a chuckle.

The couple didn't have to wait long for the other couple to get ready. Soon they were all mounted up and ready to go, then they rode out of camp with the boys trailing behind them.


	64. Adventures Part 1

"How many charms do you think this area has?" Karen asked as she shot down another one.

"Who knows?" Arthur replied, looking for more across the river. "This guy is an idiot. Talkin' about demons and shit." Arthur grabbed a charm and broke it.

Sean giggled. "Demons? Oh, the boys better stay away from the village, then."

Lilly brushed off some of the charm wood that scattered on her arms, then looked at the wolves who were lazing about in the shade. "Maybe, but I don't give two shites about what those people think. They're nuts."

"That ain't their fault, Lilly. They got that damn moron convincin' them it's some dark curse," Arthur explained.

Lilly shot another charm. "I don't see any more around here, do you guys?"

"No," Karen said.

"No...wait, found another one." Sean shot it down. "You got any more, Arthur?"

"Yeah, just a few more across the river," said Arthur as he waded through the murky water.

He coughed a little and Lilly eyeballed him. "You alright?" she asked him.

Arthur turned around and rolled his eyes at her. "Lilly, you don't need to keep askin' me if I'm alright every time I cough."

"Yes I do. Drink some of your milk. It's already been four hours since your last dose."

Arthur scoffed. "Why am I drinkin' this if I'm gonna be healed?"

"Because we," Lilly jumped and yanked another charm down, "don't know when that will be and I want you to," she dropped the charm and stepped on it, "have the least amount of coughing fits as possible."

"What's this about Arthur bein' healed?" Karen asked Lilly.

"Apparently The Morrigan says he's gonna be healed, just...eh, just not yet."

"Well shit. That's good news, ain't it?"

"Yes. Still," Lilly started crossing the river to help Arthur with the rest of the charms. "Arthur, take a god damn drink please or I'll shove the milk down your throat."

Arthur laughed and pulled out a leather pouch. "God, I love you."

Lilly beamed at him as he drank his milk. "I love you too."

Arthur wiped his mouth and put the milk away. He shot two more charms and Lilly shot one more. "I think that might be it," he said.

"Good grief, where were these demons that guy was tellin' you about? I don't see any demons around here, do you?" Sean asked everyone.

"That man is full of malarkey," Karen said to her husband.

Arthur and Lilly crossed back in the river and met up with Sean and Karen. "Alright, let's head back to Butcher's Creek."

The gang members and the wolves headed back to Butcher's Creek and saw Obediah and the shaman sitting on Obediah's porch. The shaman stood up and pointed at the wolves. "Demons! Away!"

Lilly laughed. "They ain't demons, they're my wolves, ya silly man."

"Hey! I thought I was your silly man?" Arthur said with a frown at her.

Lilly giggled and kissed him. "You are."

Arthur chuckled and spoke to Obediah. "Remember me? I helped with those dogs. I been...well, we been seein' about this curse of yours. This is Lilly, my wife. That's Karen," he pointed to Karen, then Sean," that's Sean, her husband, and these two misfits are Brian and James." Arthur pointed to the wolves in order.

The shaman hissed and backed away from the group. "Demons, I tell you! Demons!"

Sean rolled his eyes. "Really, man, they're not demons. They're just...big wolves."

Lilly chuckled and scratched behind their ears. "Yes, calm down. They're just big wolves. I've had them since they was pups."

"It's a dark omen," the shaman said to Obediah.

"Those charms, out in the woods. They all been broken," Arthur said.

"All of them?" the shaman said in shock.

"So, I guess that's it for your sufferin'."

"Ah!" Obediah stood up. Haha, it's a miracle, we're saved. The darkness lifted." he exclaimed happily.

"Not saved," the shaman interrupted. "Cursed. He...broke the charms...and the spirits are set loose."

"W-w-we're doomed, then?" Obediah stuttered as he sat back down.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Hold on," Arthur started. "You said the charms was protectin' the curse."

"I said...it was a dark omen. I said he had the demon's tongue. And look. He has brought two demons into the village."

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, as ucht Dé...me wolves are not demons, ya fuck! They're just wolves! Yes, they're a bit...abnormal in size, but that's it!"

Obediah got back up. "Now, I-I need some light here now," he sat back down, "I don't know what to think."

"Hey, look at me," Arthur said as he motioned to himself. "I think somethin's goin' on in this holler, and it ain't a curse," Arthur said as he pointed repeatedly at Obediah. "And whatever else it ain't, this feller," Arthur pointed to the Indian, "don't want you to know."

"Liar!" the Indian stood up angrily. "I told you he would lie and dissemble."

Karen snorted. "I think the game is up, buddy."

"Somethin's up," Arthur said, pointing at the Indian. "And this one wouldn't be so quick with ideas if he didn't have some clue of it."

"I have the gift!" The shaman closed in on Arthur with his arms up high, "my ancestors..."

Arthur raised a fist to the man. "I got a gift right here!"

The man cowered and started walking around Arthur and the rest of the group, but Arthur followed him with his fist held high. "I'm...going...to commune...with the spirits!" The man fell but got back up. "Dark, dark omens!" He then ran away. "Dark spirits!"

Lilly almost fell over from laughing so hard. "Oh my God, what a moron!" she giggled.

"What is he hidin'?" Arthur asked rhetorically.

Obediah walked to Arthur's side. "He, he all-he always spoke truthful to us. There, there is a dig, o-on the other side," Obediah pointed north, "of the hill there. There was a dig, anyway. It's closed now. He always said something about not going over there."

"Well, maybe I'll take a look at that dig. See if I can see somethin'," Arthur said.

He started walking away. "Be careful, mo chuisle!" Lilly shouted.

Arthur stopped and looked at her. "You ain't comin' with?"

"As if you'd let me?" she smirked. "Not when I'm twenty weeks pregnant, you won't."

Arthur smiled with a nod. "You know me so well."

Sean ran to Arthur. "I'll go wit' yas, Arthur."

"Good. Let's go."

The two men wandered off and Lilly and Karen were left with Obediah who looked at them strangely. "So, you're pregnant, huh?"

Lilly smiled. "Yes. With twins."

Obediah brought out a chair and the girls and him sat and talked for a bit about life in Butcher Creek. As the conversation went on, Karen pulled out a bottle of whiskey and gave it to Obediah. Lilly thought this strange that Karen was not drinking. Was she finally laying off the hooch? The boys went walking about the area being nice to the townsfolk. Some were scared, others were curious. But before long, the shaman was back, spewing his nonsense about the wolves being demons. Lilly only shook her head and called her brothers over. They obeyed but the shaman walked over to them.

"Your demon wolves are dark omens!" she shouted.

Karen rolled her eyes. "Oh blah, blah, blah!" Karen stood up and got into the shaman's personal space. "Now you listen here, mister. These wolves are kind and gentle and they only attack when Lilly says so, so you better watch your mouth or else I'll sick myself on you!"

Lilly cackled and stood up. "Please do not upset my best friend. She's real mean."

Karen looked back at Lilly and giggled into a fit. "I sure am!"

Both the girls laughed hysterically. "Oh, how I miss bein' drunk!"

They laughed again but the shaman looked at them strangely. "Obediah, I have found a way to break the curse."

Lilly snickered. "Oh have ya, now?"

"Yes. Obediah, gather everyone."

Lilly and Karen kept giggling into fits as the shaman gathered all the townsfolk around and stood on a box. "I told you I would save you!" the shaman said. This caused a positive reaction from the crowd. "I said I would lead you out of the darkness!"

"Yes!" cried the people. "Show us the light!"

"I shall!"

Lilly saw Arthur and Sean heading over and both of them looked mad. "Uh oh," Lilly said. "Our men look mad."

Karen peeked over. "Oh shit, I don't think I've ever seen Sean that mad. That there's a new face on him."

"Aye, that it is, Karen. Wonder what's got their knickers in a twist..."

"This is a powerful magic that will protect you on your journey," the shaman laughed.

Lilly looked over and saw Obediah reading the paper out loud. "I-I-I hereby r-release, absolve, a-and in-indemnify the aforementioned Roanoke Fuel Company?"

The shaman slammed the paper down. "Stop reading. You didn't tell me you could read!"

Arthur and Sean marched over. "What kind of trick you pullin' now?" Arthur asked furiously.

"Oh, you're back! We thought the curse had got you!" Obediah said.

"Nope, but," Arthur pointed at the shaman, "but he nearly did."

Karen and Lilly looked at each other than back at the shaman. "What?!"

"Bastard nearly killed us with dynamite!" Sean barked. "And we almost suffocated to death in that dig!"

"Yeah. We was down in that dig and we found this," Arthur pulled out a small glass vial. "Leakin' all the way into the lake. You've been poisoned."

Obediah blinked. "N-now w-we-we were warned not to heed what you say."

Lilly narrowed her eyes at the shaman. "Ya tried tah kill me husband and me brother?"

Karen was also mad as hell. "You tried to blow up both our husbands?!"

The wolves' hackles raised and their teeth were bared as they neared the shaman. He started backing up. "I didn't do anything!" he claimed.

Lilly approached the man. "Why don't I believe you?"

The shaman tried to leave but Lilly let out a high pitched whistle and James flanked the man. Brian stood at the man's side, growling and drooling.

Arthur sighed. "Lilly, please calm them down."

Lilly eyed her husband, then eyeballed the shaman and snarled. "Boys, relax."

The boys sat on their haunches and did as they were told. Arthur approached the man and looked at Obediah. "Let him tell ya what this shit is." Arthur waved the vial at the shaman. "What's this?"

The shaman looked almost frightened. "It's nothing," he laughed nervously.

"Nothin'?" Arthur grabbed the man. "Oh, then you won't mind takin' a drink!"

Arthur shoved the man to the ground and the crowd tried to stop him but the wolves blocked their way. The shaman begged Arthur but he didn't listen as he forced the liquid into the shaman's mouth. Sean, Karen, and Lilly just stood and watched in satisfaction as the man rolled over and groaned. "You've killed me, I'm poisoned," the shaman said.

Arthur faced the small crowd. "Poison now, is it?"

"Ugh, the dig. All they found was arsenic and lead. They dug down into the cave system, it spread, I was meant to get you all to go," the shaman groaned out as he was curled in on himself, holding his stomach.

"Now you heard it."

"It's taken me! Ooooooh..."

"Oh dear, dear God..." Obediah said in horror. "There's no arguing, it's clear as day! We're cursed!"

Lilly's eyes widened, as did Karen's and Sean's. "Cursed?" Arthur said in disbelief. "What are you talkin' about?!"

The shaman groaned and screamed as he got up and ran away. "Powerful forces have taken on this town."

"It ain't spirits! It's a mining company!" Arthur argued.

"No, it is spirits! Spirits talkin' through a mining company! Brothers and sisters, we got some praying to do."

Arthur turned and face palmed himself. Lilly started giggling as the people started walking away. "Don't pray! Do somethin'! You'll die...or worse!"

"Just go! It's our curse, it's ours to deal with. Now the medicine man left some money there," Obediah pointed to a table, "just take it if you want."

Lilly shook her head, walked over to her dumbfounded husband and put a hand on his shoulder, trying to suppress her laughter. "Well, at least you tried, darlin'," she said.

* * *

Lilly and Karen were laughing all the way to Van Horn while the two men scowled at them. "Us nearly dyin' is not funny!" Sean barked out.

Lilly waved her hands back and forth. "I know, Sean, but the..." Lilly started laughing again. "That fuckin' shaman was such an idiot and they all believed him! And they still think they're cursed!"

Karen and Lilly laughed hysterically and then they finally calmed down as they got to Van Horn. They went to the general store so Lilly could get her carrots and chocolate, but she also got apples and peaches. On the way out, she melted a chocolate bar and covered an apple in the mess. She gobbled up the apple and smiled. "Where to, Lilly?" Arthur asked. "Where's this big man with a small head?"

Lilly looked around then bit into a carrot. "Hmm. We could try the saloon," she said, aiming her carrot in the bar's direction.

The group walked over to the saloon with Brian and James, then as soon as they walked in, Lilly saw him. He was _tall._ He was with a blonde haired lady.

"Come on, Bertram, please!" she said to him.

"No. Bertram said no," the tall man said.

Lilly went to sit down so she could watch the spectacle. Sean and Karen joined her. "Oh, that's nice, that's very nice. "Friends for life" we said and now the two of you have betrayed me at once. Do you know what betrayal means, Bertram?" the woman said to Bertram.

"No..."

"It means hurting Miss Marjorie. Well, I thought you liked me? I've clothed you, I fed you."

"Bertram does like Miss Marjorie."

"Yes. And Miss Marjorie likes Bertram."

As the woman kept talking, Arthur looked at his wife. "You sure about this?" he asked her.

Lilly shrugged. "Hey babe, you don't have to do it. I just thought it'd be fun."

"Fun for me or fun for you?"

Lilly smirked and bit into her carrot. "Obviously fun for me. If he gets too carried away, I'll jump in."

Bertram turned around and saw the wolves. He gasped, jumping up and down and clapping his hands. "Doggies! Doggies! Such big doggies!"

Lilly cracked up as Brian and James backed up near her. "Oh, don't be shy, boys. Go on, say hello to the man."

They whined at her and Bertram came running. "Oh Bertram, those aren't doggies! Those are wolves!" Marjorie blurted out. "Come back here!"

Betram outstretched his arms not listening and Lilly stood up, blocking Bertram from her wolves. "Woa woa, easy big fella. You're gonna scare them if you go after 'em like that."

Bertram frowned and grabbed his head. "But Bertram wants to pet the doggies."

"Well sure you can!" Lilly said with a beaming smile. She looked at Marjorie who looked frightened. "They're good boys, I promise." She looked back at Bertram. "But you must be gentle with them. Here, I'll show you."

Lilly had Bertram hold out his hand and the wolves smelled him. James licked his fingers and Bertram giggled. Lilly held Bertram's hand and helped him pet James' fur gently. "See? Nice and sweet."

"Bertram likes doggies. Doggies are so soft."

Brian came up to Bertram and he pet Brian gently with another giggle escaping his large form. "There we go. Nice, Bertram."

Brian and James whined at Lilly then at Bertram who started clapping his hands. "Yay for Bertram! Yay for Bertram!" And he went running back to Marjorie. "Bertram pet the doggies! Bertram pet the doggies!"

Marjorie smiled sweetly at Lilly then at Bertram. "Would Bertram like a sherry?"

Lilly sat down and looked at Arthur with a grin. "Well? Bring on the show, my love," she purred with a flamboyant wave of her hand and a crossing of her legs.

Arthur sighed and tilted his head in her direction. "Is there a way I don't have to fight him?"

Lilly shrugged. "Mo chuisle, gettin' visions is half the battle. Makin' sense of 'em is the other half."

Arthur chuckled and walked over to Marjorie. "Everythin' okay?" he asked the woman.

"Imagine saving people, taking them to your breast, metaphorically, I mean, like a mother. Caring and raising them, and then they go and stab you in the back!" Marjorie explained. "Have you ever betrayed a close friend? I hope not."

Arthur looked confused. "Well, uh..."

"Treachery! And these are sad, low, unlovable people, and I made them stars..."

Lilly watched with amusement as the woman went on and on, then she noticed Bertram drinking the whole bottle of sherry. The barkeep saw and tried to take it back. Lilly giggled as the woman went on and Arthur saw what was happening but he couldn't even get a word in. He looked at Lilly helplessly and she giggled. "Alright, alright..."

Lilly got up and walked as the barkeep and Bertram fought over the sherry. "Sir? I'll buy the-"

The bottle went flying and Marjorie stomped her foot. "Oh fucketty!" Bertram started strangling the barkeep and Lilly took a step back. "Bertram! Bertram!"

"More!" Bertram yelled.

"Bertram! Woof, woof!" Bertram!" Marjorie clapped her hands. "Put the nice man down! Do somethin', he'll eat him!"

"Umm, uh..." Arthur said before walking over to Bertram.

Lilly went back to the table and winked at Sean and Karen. "Now the fun begins," she whispered.

Arthur pat Bertram on the shoulder. "E-e-easy there." Arthur yanked Bertran away from the barkeep. "Easy there!"

Bertram looked at Arthur angrily. "Sherry!" he yelled and stomped over to Arthur.

"Bertram!" Marjorie yelled.

"Easy, big guy," Arthur said as they both went into fighting stances. Arthur and Bertram engaged in the fight and Sean looked at Lilly. "This is entertaining, but why? You could stop this so easily."

Lilly giggled. "I know, but why should I? Arthur's got it handled," she said, reaching into her pouch and grabbing another carrot to bite into.

Karen laughed. "Why is this funny to you?"

Lilly grinned. "I never said it was funny. I just like watchin' Arthur fight. It gets me goin'," she said with a smile.

Sean and Karen burst out laughing and Lilly turned back to her husband and Bertram in time to see Arthur receive a headbutt in the face from his opponent. She cringed but then watched with desire as Arthur finally knocked Bertram down.

"Come here, Bertram," Marjorie said once the fight was done. Bertram started crying, got up and hugged Marjorie." Oh yes, Marjorie's here," she pat his back softly, "no one's ever gonna hurt you again."

"Momma," Bertram whimpered.

"You should keep that thing in a cage!" the barkeep shouted as he held his throat.

"You should think about who you're servin'," Arthur said, rubbing his knuckles. "Gimme a beer, will ya?" Arthur looked at his wife and caught the look in her eyes. He smiled with self-satisfaction and leaned against the bar. "An bhfuil tú te dom anois?" he asked Lilly. _[Are you hot for me now?]_

Lilly smirked at him with a seductive twinkle in her sapphire blue eyes. "Sea, Mo Fear Álainn." _[Yes, My Beautiful Man.]_

Arthur chuckled as he got his beer. "Ha! I knew it!" he said, taking a drink.

"Knew what?"

* * *

_36-year-old Arthur was engaging in a bar fight with three other men. He gave right hooks to the faces and left jabs to their stomachs. Two of them grabbed him from behind but he knocked them both in the guts with his elbows. They let go and Arthur knocked the first guy out. Arthur turned and engaged in battle with the other two. "Come on, you bastards! Take your best shot!"_

_One lunged for Arthur but he moved to the side and landed a blow to the nan's belly before taking his other fist and knocking it on the top of his opponent's head. That guy went down. Arthur went after the third guy and both fought toe to toe. The guy got a few lucky shots in but Arthur defeated him easily enough with a knock out to the face. Arthur wiped his bloody mouth and turned to see 21-year-old Lilly staring at him, cheeks flushed, from the saloon doors. He smiled, breathing heavily as he walked to her._

_"You see all that?" he asked her._

_He saw her swallow and she nodded. "Yes."_

_Arthur smiled and walked out of the saloon, feeling triumphant. "You okay? Is the sun gettin' to you?"_

_Lilly shook her head as if to clear it. "Maybe."_

_Arthur noticed her body language and smiled even more. Was Lilly actually turned on by his fighting? "So," Arthur looked around at the street and moved closer to her. "Seems like, uh, someone needs to go huntin'."_

_Lilly blushed even more. "I-I-I...um," she said breathlessly._

_Arthur dragged her in between the buildings and pinned her to the wall, his light eyes piercing into her dark ones. "Lillian, are you feelin' alright?"_ _he purred at her._

_"I don't know. I feel dizzy."_

_Arthur chuckled. "I think I know why."_

_"You do?" Lilly asked him, her eyes wide._

_"Yes." Arthur breathed in her scent of apples. "You're tu-"_

_"Arthur!" Hosea barked out. "Where are you?"_

_Arthur sighed. Great. "Meet me tonight at the lake?"_

_Lilly smiled. "Of course," she said. Once again she was breathless_.

_Arthur kissed her neck gently before pulling away from her and jogging off._

* * *

"Ha! I remember that!" Lilly laughed. "I was very confused at the time. I mean, I had similar feelings before, but these ones were...more intense, I should say."

Arthur, as they rode south, leaned in and kissed his wife. "Well, I'm glad you ain't so confused no more," he said to her.

Sean, Karen, Lilly, Arthur, Brian, and James were galloping down the road when they saw a little makeshift camp. Lilly saw a little man throwing stuff into a fire and she stopped the group. "Hey hey, there he is."

Arthur sighed. "Again, is this for your entertainment?"

"Yes. Go get 'em. Don't worry. I'll get the boys to chase him soon enough."

Arthur sighed again and turned off the road to talk to the man. Sean, Karen and Lilly started giggling. It was too far for Sean and Karen to hear and even though she could make out the conversation, Lilly decided to talk to Sean and Karen instead. "So, do you know if any of the camp members are talkin' about leavin'?"

Sean and Karen looked at each other. "Some of them, maybe. Why?"

Lilly frowned. "That's a shame. You'd think they wouldn't since, considerin' the size of my house. I got room to fit everybody."

"You do, deirfiúr. But...some people don't think we'll make it there."

"Which people?"

"Mary-Beth, Tilly, John, Abigail, Reverend Swanson, Mr. Pearson, Lenny..."

"Mr. Pearson? Really? Well, Adair will be disappointed. She kinda likes him."

"What?!" the married couple said.

Lilly laughed loudly. "Yep. She does. Are you two thinkin' on dippin' out, though?"

"No!" they both said.

"We've seen the place, they haven't," Karen said. "If they had actually been there, then they'd...ope, here we go."

Lilly turned her direction to Arthur chasing after the little man and she giggled. "Well, let's follow 'em."

The three people and the two animals followed slowly after Arthur, laughing at the colored smoke bombs Magnifico was leaving behind. Lilly laughed as Arthur crossed the river, running through smoke of red, purple and yellow. The group casually crossed the river and trailed after him.

"What the hell you pullin' here? If you're here, I'm gonna find you," Lilly heard Arthur say.

Magnifico appeared in a blue cloud on a boulder and she pointed. "There he is!"

Arthur growled at her. "I can see that!" Lilly keeled over and laughed again as Arthur went chasing after Magnifico. Eventually Arthur stopped and looked about the trees. "Magnifico! Can't magic out of this, partner. Come on, she ain't as bad as all that."

"Alright, boys. Sniff him out," Lilly said. Brian and James started sniffing the ground until they ended up at a particular tree. They barked and looked up. "There's your quarry, Arthur."

"Geez, they're huge! They're bigger than me!" Magnifico exclaimed in shock.

Arthur went to the tree and cackled. "Yes they are."

"Wanna see a trick?"

"Ain't you led me on a merry old dance. C'mon down now. Lady said you had a contract."

"You want me? Come and get me!" Magnifico laughed, pulled out a tiny rocket and lit it.

"Hey, hold on there." Magnifico threw it near Arthur. "God dammit!"

"So long, dummy!"

"Hey! Nobody calls me husband a dummy! Get down here now!" Lilly snapped. Magnifico disappeared in a cloud of yellow and Arthur went chasing after him again. "Brian, James, chase that little bastard!"

The boys ran after him and Lilly followed along with Sean and Karen. Lilly had enough of that stunted shitebag. "Arthur, get on! We'll catch him!"

Arthur climbed on Liath and Lilly went charging after the trail of Magnifico as Arthur kept yelling at him. A train was coming as Arthur laughed. "Too bad about that train!"

The boys got in front of Magnifico and snarled at him. "Holy moly!" Magnifico shouted. "Too slow!" He threw down another tiny ball and was enveloped by blue smoke. He disappeared and the boys searched around for him.

Lilly and the rest stopped at the passing train. "Where the fuck did he go?" Lilly shouted.

"I don't know!" Sean yelled.

Turquoise smoke appeared on the other side of the train and Lilly's jaw dropped. "How the hell?" Arthur said.

As soon as the train passed, they chased Magnifico to the road just as Marjorie was coming with a wagon. "Magnifico!" she yelled.

"Dammit!" Magnifico said as the boys cornered him. Magnifico pulled a rabbit out, dropped it, and ran right to a laughing Bertram. "Oh, no. No, no, no!"

Bertram picked him up and tossed him into the air. "Friend!" He tossed him a second time. "Friend!" A third time. "Friend forever!"

"Put me down!"

Lilly and the rest started laughing into hysterics. "Well, look who's back!" Marjorie said.

Bertram put Magnifico down. "I ain't back. I'm gone, on the next train to the Great White Way."

Marjorie put her hands on her hip and bent down at the waist in front of the small man. "Really? You got enough for a ticket? Because the way Big Fanny tells it, you spent all of our takings on a case of the French pox!"

Lilly snorted and covered her mouth. "Maybe I did. So what?" Magnifico barked out. "What do you need a stump of a showman for? Same bad jokes, the same cheap tricks, in a package half the size? You got Bertram! You got dummy over there! Who is dummy anyway? The missing link?"

"Hey!" Lilly yelled as she got off her horse. She confronted Magnifico with a scowl. "Ya insult me husband again and I'll skin yer feckin' hide!

"Dummy!" Magnifico said defiantly.

Lilly growled. "SHUT UP!" her voice boomed. The trio stepped back in surprise. "Ya better apologize to me husband right now, ya tiny bastard!" When Magnifico only stared up at her with wide eyes, she huffed in frustration. "APOLOGIZE NOW!" Lilly heard Karen, Sean and Arthur cackling away in the background.

"I-I'm sorry for calling you a dummy!" he said to Arthur. "How did you do that?"

"You should watch your mouth," Arthur said. "Stop upsettin' my wife. Clearly, she means business."

"You don't need me. You're better off without me," Magnifico said to Marjorie, then pointed to Bertram. "Even you, dummy. Go on, clear off. Aim for the top all of you. I'm outta food, and I'm out of ideas. Leave me for the bears. I won't be more than a mouthful."

He turned to walk away but Marjorie grabbed him. "You robbed me. You robbed your brother." She dragged him towards the wagon. "So you are gonna be pullin' rabbits out of your ass until you are as old as you are tiny!"

Lilly guffawed. "Oh, I like her."

"Kinda reminds me of you," Arthur commented. "I didn't think another woman could have the same ferocity of your temper."

Lilly chuckled and smacked her husband's arm. "Shut up," she said playfully.

"Ow," Arthur laughed, rubbing his arm.

"Put him up there," Marjorie told Bertram.

Bertram picked Magnifico up. "Some friends. Some friends!" Magnifico protested, getting put in the passenger seat.

"We ain't friends," Marjorie climbed up, "we're family, as much as it pains me to say it." Bertram went and pet Brian and James softly and Lilly smiled.

"Family? Still, after everything?"

"Of course, you silly little man."

"And him?" Magnifico said about Arthur.

Arthur pet their draft horse. "Met him at a bar, he agreed to help."

"Ah, sleeping rough don't suit me much."

"I know, come to momma," Marjorie cooed as she held out her arms.

They hugged. "Oh, I did miss you."

She shoved him off. "Now don't you ever run off on us like that again!"

"Back together! Back together!" Bertram celebrated.

"Well, I'm glad it all worked out," Arthur said.

"Thanks to you and your wife," Marjorie chippered. "Thank them, boys."

"Thank you!" Bertram said, giving the wolves one last pet.

"Eh, thanks for nothing, du- I mean...thanks."

Bertram climbed up but Marjorie stopped him. "No, get in the back. We ought to give you a piece of the gate on our next show, you both earned it," Marjorie surmised. "We'll be playing Saint Denis next, check with the box office." Marjorie slapped the reins and they got moving.

"No one said anything about splittin' the gate," Magnifico complained.

"Oh, shut up. Half-man and half-wit."

"Bye bye," Bertram said from the back.

Everyone waved bye. "What I done to deserve you two?"

As they went down the road, the four travelers looked at one another and burst into laughter. "Oh my God, those were the funniest people I've ever seen!" Karen said.

Lilly shook her hands and head. "Not so. Arthur and I met a French artist named Charles Châtenay. He paints nudes. In fact, he..." she paused and turned to Arthur. "Say, what ever happened to Charles?"

Arthur cackled. "He had to escape Saint Denis for the South Pacific. He shat on someone's bar and owed people money."

Lilly blew a raspberry and fell over laughing. "Oh my God!"

Sean, Arthur, and Karen began laughing hysterically once more


	65. Adventures Part 2

They made a stop for the night just outside the abandoned town of Pleasance. After dinner, Lilly and Arthur retired for the evening and fell asleep. At some point, Lilly woke up and looked over at Arthur. It was too dark to see him until her eyes adjusted and she slowly pulled the blankets down. She was going to finish what she started when she was sucking him off the other day. With a mischevious grin, she slowly unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants, pulling out his cock. She started sucking on the tip and Arthur stirred about in his sleep. His member began to grow hard as she kept playing with it and soon her mouth enveloped it. Her head began to bob up and down, keeping her tongue broad and flat along his shaft, and Arthur groaned out in pleasure.

Lilly," he moaned, "what are you...ah, aahhh," he spoke deeply.

His hands went into her hair and she continued pleasuring her husband. It was apparent that he was waking up because as she went along, the grip on her hair tightened and his groans became louder.

"That feels so god damn good," he chuckled deeply.

"I should hope so," she whispered.

Her hand wrapped around the shaft and went up and down, then twisted slowly as she continued moving her head up and down. She suckled the tip for a few moments which made him groan loudly, then she went back to bobbing her head. Lilly then used her free hand to pull down his pants and cup his testicles, causing him to groan out again.

"Fuck, Lillian...you're so...fuckin'...woa..." She pressed a finger to his taint and massaged it gently. He chuckled and arched his back. "Oh, you're doin' that one. Yeah..."

Lilly continued on, massaging Arthur a little more firmly as she wiggled her tongue along and around the head of his dick. She suckled on it again and went back to playing with his balls. She then stopped to take off her pants, then she hovered herself over him, her rump facing him. Lilly sat on Arthur and moaned loudly as she felt him slide inside her, then she went back to playing with his testes and massaging the area behind them. Lilly's hips bucked and she grinded on Arthur. She felt his hands grasp her waist and she bounced on him, then they both started to moan.

"Lilly, go...go faster," Arthur growled through his teeth.

Lilly went faster and rubbed his taint more firmly. It was then that her own climax started to sneak up on her and she gasped and moaned loudly when she came. Her muscles contracted around Arthur and she felt and heard him come undone. They both were breathing heavily and Lilly went on her back next to him, one another covered in a light sweat.

Arthur laughed a little. "Damn, girl...remind me to get Karen a gift basket for teaching you that."

Lilly glared at him. "Her? What about me? Don't I get a gift basket? I actually did the work!" she snapped.

"Shut up, woman. You know you're gettin' somethin'," he groaned as he rolled over on her, "better than a gift basket." Arthur wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply before trailing a palm down her body to her womanhood, then he started rubbing her clit "How's this for a gift?"

Lilly spread her legs open and kissed Arthur fiercely. "Yes," she said into his mouth. "Much better."

Arthur wiggled his finger and Lilly's hips shot up. "Ooh, someone likes that."

"Someone loves it," she gasped.

Arthur put in a digit and fingered her. "How much do you love it, Lilly?"

"I...I really do. I love it so much," she moaned. Arthur kissed down her body and licked her nub before inserting another finger into her. He immediately pounded into her and Lilly's back bent up. "Arthur, I'm gonna come again," she gasped.

"Tell me you love me, Lilly."

"I love you, Arthur. I...oh, oh, oh, yes, I..." she made a high pitched gasp and her hips bucked as her climax peaked and washed over her. Her rump went back down and she rolled her head to the side, biting her lower lip. "I want more. Give me more, mo chuisle."

Arthur laughed with glee and started up again, suckling and licking on Lilly's sensitive spot. "I'm gonna make you gush."

Lilly nodded enthusiastically and shut her eyes. "Okay." Arthur curled his fingers in and massaged her g-spot. Lilly moaned out loudly and covered her mouth. Arthur stopped and she growled at him. "What are you doin'?"

"Don't cover your mouth. I want you to be loud."

"But Karen and Sean are..." suddenly she heard noises outside. It sounded like Karen and Sean were engaging in their own recreational activities. "Fuck it, just make me come."

Arthur fingered and massaged inside of her and Lilly's whole body began to tremble. It wasn't long until fluid gushed from her pussy and a loud groan escaped her lips. "FuuuUUUCK!"

Arthur laughed and sucked up all the warm fluid. "That's my girl."

* * *

It was morning now and Lilly felt amazing and refreshed when she woke up. Arthur was already awake and feeling her belly. "I saw them moving."

Lilly gasped happily and sat up. "Really?"

Arthur nodded with a bright smile. "Yeah. Look."

Lilly lifted up her shirt and waited. She felt them moving then covered her mouth when she saw the movement. "Oh my God..."

Arthur chuckled and kissed her lovingly. "It's really starting to sink in now that I'm gonna be a dad...well, again, but this is different."

"How so?"

"Well, I wasn't married to Eliza and we weren't intimate while she was pregnant, so I didn't get to go through all this."

Lilly kissed Arthur's forehead. "Well, you're doin' an excellent job...Daddy."

Arthur laughed. "C'mere, Momma."

Lilly squeaked and wrapped her arms around Arthur. "Oh! We gotta show Sean and Karen!" Lilly put her pants on and rushed outside. "Sean! Karen!"

They both came out of their tent looking disheveled and sleepy. "Mmm? What is it?" Sean asked her.

Lilly exposed her belly and pointed. "Watch."

Karen and Sean waited. Lilly felt movement again and Sean and Karen awwed in shock when they saw her stomach move. They both put a hand on her stomach and laughed when they felt the babies moving.

"Deirfiúr! This feels so strange! I can only imagine how it feels for you!" Sean exclaimed.

"What does it feel like?" Karen asked Lilly.

"It feels like, hmm...like my insides are twisting about and bulging out sometimes. God, I can't wait until they get bigger!"

Karen beamed at Sean, then they both looked at Lilly. "Karen's pregnant," Sean said happily.

Lilly's eyes went wide and Lilly squealed happily. She hugged them both tightly. "Oh my God! Oh my God!"

Arthur approached all three of them. "What's goin' on?"

Lilly jumped into Arthur's arms. "Karen's gonna have a baby!"

Arthur looked at the happy couple and started laughing with joy. "Oh my God!"

They all went into a group hug then Lilly and Karen held hands and jumped up and down. "We're pregnant together!" Lilly exclaimed happily. "Who else knows?"

"Nobody. You guys are the first to know!" Sean said.

Lilly jumped up and down, feeling overjoyed, when Arthur stopped her. "Easy now, darlin'. You're gonna give the babies a headache or somethin'."

Lilly giggled into her hand. "I'm sorry, I..." her eyes filled with tears, "I'm just so happy."

She sniffled and Arthur laughed as he held her close, kissing her softly. "Aww, you silly woman."

Lilly wiped her eyes and smiled at the happy couple. "Okay, well, once we're done with our adventure and we go back to camp, we should celebrate! It'll really help with morale!"

After the initial excitement, they broke down camp and headed west for Rhodes. Lilly told the boys to stay outside the perimeter and they obeyed. It was too risky bringing them into town. Arthur decided he should go to the Braithwaite property alone to collect Miss Penelope and the rest agreed. Lilly, as she ate pickles and salted beef, approached Beau Gray at the station while Sean and Karen went to the general store. "Hey there, Mr. Gray!" she waved.

"Mrs. Callahan!" he exclaimed. "So nice to see you again and...oh my, you _are_ pregnant."

Lilly raised a brow. "Um, yes. Didn't you know?"

"I found out after the um...stake burning incident. How did you manage to make it out of that? The whole town was massacred by someone."

Lilly blinked and chewed on a pickle. "I got lucky."

"I couldn't believe my uncle would burn a pregnant woman at the stake, witch or no witch."

"Well, I'm not a witch. They were misinformed."

"I see. Well I never believed a word of you being a witch, Mrs. Callahan. Not a single word."

Lilly smiled. "Thank you. Anyway, yes, I'm pregnant. With twins, in fact."

Beau smiled at her. "My God. That's wonderful." He looked around. "Um, where is Mr. Callahan?"

Lilly smiled brightly. "He's gone to get your lady love, Mr. Gray. She sent him a letter."

Beau's eyes went wide. "My goodness! You're here to help with that?"

"Yep. We been doin' little adventures like this since yesterday."

Mr. Gray smiled happily at Lilly. "Oh thank you, Mrs. Callahan!"

"You're welcome." Lilly rubbed her lower back. "Oh Lord."

"Are you alright, Mrs. Callahan?"

"Yes, yes, just back pain. Pregnancy will...oh..." Lilly felt her back. "Ow." Lilly was having muscle spasms in her back. "Ouch!"

Beau walked to her and held her arm. "What's wrong? Do you need a doctor?"

"No, just...ouch, heh heh heh." Lilly rubbed her lower back. "Just havin' back aches. One of the perks of bein' pregnant," she chuckled.

Beau frowned. "Do you need to sit down?"

Lilly nodded and grimaced. "Yes, I think so." Suddenly the pain stopped and Lilly took deep breath. "Nevermind, I...I'm okay. Phew."

Beau laughed. "Well, that was interesting."

Lilly laughed too and relaxed. "Yes it was. It's never been that bad before."

Sean and Karen came walking up the steps and smiled. "Hello," Karen said. "Who are you and why are you grabbing my best friend?"

Lilly laughed and Beau let go of her arm. "This is Beau Gray. I was in pain and he was about to escort me to the doctor but I'm fine now. Mr. Gray, this is Sean and Karen MacGuire."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Beau said.

Lilly stood straight up and sighed. "He's the lovebird I told you about."

Just then Arthur came trotting up with Penelope. Beau's eyes widened as he saw Penelope run to him. "You came!" He held her. "You came! At last, you came!"

"Beau," Penelope said to him. "My sweet...my best of men," she giggled.

"I'm hardly a man at all...but I love you, Penelope Braithwaite." Beau looked at Arthur. "Sir...how can we ever repay your kindness?"

"Oh, some of them jewels would do just fine..." Arthur said.

"Beau, Arthur's gonna join us, I think we need the support," said Penelope. "Please, could you buy the tickets, dear Mr. Morgan? We can't chance bein' seen." Arthur walked into the station to buy tickets.

"Mr. Morgan?" Beau said and looked at Lilly. "I thought Callahan was your last name?" Beau asked as they all walked to the train side.

"It is. Callahan is my maiden name. We uh, sometimes we use both," Lilly lied. "My idea, of course."

"Huh. Really?" Beau said, looking at her skeptically. "No offense, but has anyone ever told you that you're a horrible liar?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Repeatedly. It's Morgan. There's a reason for that, and I-"

Beau held up his hand. "Say no more. Your secret is safe with us."

Lilly smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Gray."

"Hey, cousin!" Lilly heard someone say.

Beau turned deathly white and started backing up. "No, hey, no, you leave us alone! Penelope, Mrs. Morgan, get back!" he shouted as two of Beau's cousins tried to grab Beau.

Lilly knocked both the cousins on their asses. "He said leave us alone!" she shouted.

"Mrs. Morgan!" Penelope exclaimed. "How did you-"

Arthur came running out with the tickets. "Everyone, get on the train and get your bags, Lilly's got this."

Lilly stood her ground as the two men got up. "Come here, Mick!" one said as he approached her. The other one flanked the first one.

Lilly smirked, cracked her neck, and got in a fighting stance. She chuckled evily. "Yer half a bubble off true, ain'tcha?"

The man charged her but she caught him by the throat, lifted him up, and tossed him into the other guy. They both fell and Lilly sighed. This was not even a fair fight, really. It was boring, in fact. "Are ya lads done now?" she asked.

The first guy, Mark, didn't get up, but the fat one named Scott did. He marched over and threw a punch. Lilly blocked it and headbutted him in the face. He slumped to the ground and Lilly rolled her eyes as she boarded the train. Some of the people looked at her in shock, including Beau Gray and Penelope Braithwaite and she shrugged. "I'm uh...heh, I've had a lot of fight trainin'."

The train started moving and Lilly plopped down. "That was amazing, Mrs. Morgan," said Beau.

Arthur sat next to her and gave her a kiss on her hand. "Thank you. That is quite the family ya got there, lad."

"I know. Charming to the last. Then again, my uncle used to keep his own half-brother as a slave, so, what do you expect? Good manners?"

"My uncle used to say things were better the way they were when he could rape and kill with impunity and he didn't have to work a day in his life," Penelope explained as the rest of them sat down.

"I don't get how both your families managed to raise decent folk like you twos," Sean said.

"Trust me, I do not understand it either."

"Both our families...there's good people in this county, but our families bully them and drove most of them off, whites as well as blacks. All over this silly feud," Beau explained.

"Yeah, well, how delightful," Arthur said.

"Oh, my Lord."

Lilly looked at Beau then saw some men outside on horseback chasing the train. "Ha! Let me guess. More cousins?"

Penelope gasped. "I think it's my second cousin."

Lilly went to get up but Arthur shook his head at her. "My turn, darlin'." He kissed her head and got up. "What is with it with all these god damn cousins? Sean, c'mon!"

"I think they found out about the jewels!" Penelope said.

"Alright, keep your heads down. We'll deal with this." Sean followed Arthur to the back of the car. "Jewels? I knew you had some damn jewels!"

Lilly sighed and Karen and Lilly got into the seat together next to the couple. "Don't worry, they're good shots. They'll handle it alright," Karen said to them both.

The shooting started and the people all ducked their heads down.

* * *

Arthur and Sean took cover and started shooting at all the Braithwaite cousins. "You must have all the jewels in the state, the amount of your cousins is here!" Arthur shouted begrudgingly.

Sean giggled. "No kiddin', Englishman." The boys kept firing and just when they thought they'd got them all, more men showed up. "Uh oh, we got more men!"

"More men? More men?!" Arthur snapped. "Penelope Braithwaite this ain't about no star crossed lovers!" Arthur got out of cover and shot two more men down before getting back into cover. "She's robbed her own family blind." Arthur shot another man. "Good for her, I guess," he laughed.

Sean shot three more men and killed them. "She better give us somethin' after all this!"

"Yeah, yeah," Arthur replied as he fired at and killed another cousin. Eventually they killed all the rest but the train stopped. "Shit."

* * *

Lilly felt the train slow and stop and she got up. "I'll go tell the driver to start up again." Lilly made her way through the cars and suddenly her belly hurt again. She ignored it as best as she could. "Driver! Let's get this train-" She got to the front but the driver was gone. "Ugh, fine." She started the train up again and started driving.

The pain hit her again and she groaned through gritted teeth. "What the fuck is goin' on?"

Her back started hurting too and she fell to a knee. Lilly looked back to see Arthur running to her. "Lillian!"

Lilly raised a hand and got back up. She kept on driving. "Yeah!" she snarled.

He got to her and arched a brow. "Are you okay?"

"My back and belly are hurtin' bad, Arthur."

Arthur got behind her and started massaging her lower back. "Just drive, I got you. Is that feelin' better?"

Lilly started feeling better with her back at least. "Yeah. Thanks, but don't stop."

Arthur chortled. "I ain't, darlin'. Once we stop, you're goin' to a doctor. Beau told me you were havin' these before."

"Ugh, I don't know what it is but it hurts."

Lilly felt so awful she could barely concentrate on driving. But eventually the pain stopped and she grunted with a deep breath. "God, that was awful. I'm...I'm fine now."

Arthur kept massaging her anyway. "Doctor, then home. I think you need some rest."

"What about Colm?" Lilly looked at Arthur with a frown. "We're supposed to meet up with Dutch and Sadie."

Arthur kissed her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Don't you worry about that. I just want you to go home and rest, you hear me?"

"Yes, okay..."

"But this was a nice adventure, wasn't it?"

Lilly chuckled as he nuzzled her ear. "Yes." Lilly leaned into him. "I remember the last time we were on a train together. Do you remember?"

Arthur chuckled and started stroking her thigh. "Yes I do."

* * *

After arriving at Fort Riggs Station, acquiring a sapphire bracelet as payment, and getting the Gray/Braithwaite couple on a carriage, the group headed back to Rhodes on a different train. Lilly had more painful bouts on the way and she was scared she was miscarrying the babies but Arthur wasn't worried. Or he tried not to be at least. Once they were back in Rhodes, Arthur escorted his wife to the doctor. After examining her, he had good news.

"Well, Mrs. Morgan, you are not in real labor. You are havin' a case of the Braxton Hicks," the doctor said as he sat down in front of her.

"The what?" Lilly asked with a scrunched up face.

"False labor. It's just your body getting ready for when you do finally go into real labor. It's a little bit early for you, but it can happen. You're about twenty weeks along now, if I recall correctly?"

"Yes."

Arthur rubbed her back as another painful contraction came on. "Doc, what do you recommend?" Arthur asked him.

"Has she been overexerting herself?"

"We been travelin' a lot on horseback since yesterday."

"Hmm. Well, you should take a train or a carriage home, then. Mrs. Morgan needs a break from horseback riding. Just for a day or two, but no more long journeys on horseback until after the birth of your children, at least not without some rest in between. That is my recommendation."

Lilly groaned and bent over. "Dammit..."

Arthur chortled and rubbed her back again. "Anythin' else?"

"Just some T.L.C."

"What's that?"

"Tender loving care."

Lilly snorted and looked at the doctor with a big smile. "He dotes on me enough as it is. Now you're prescribin' more?" She glanced at Arthur with her smile and he kissed her cheek.

"I'm always willin' to dote on her, Doc," he said.

* * *

Since their adventure time was over, they decided to take a train to Annesburg so Lilly could rest. Once they unloaded their horses in Annesburg, Sean and Karen went back to camp while Arthur and Lilly leisurely made their way to the Wapiti Reservation. Arthur had business there with Rains Fall, but Lilly was invited by Eagle Flies to go meet the shaman about her wolves. When they made their way in, Lilly felt eyes of both suspicion and awe on her as Brian and James trailed in behind her. The couple dismounted and hitched up their horses. Lilly was met by some of the tribe who directed her to the shaman's tipi. She was told his name was Hawk Eye, for he saw all from afar with perfect clarity. Lilly thought this was interesting. She cleared her throat.

"Um, hello? Mr. Hawk Eye, sir? My name is-"

"Lilly Morgan," she heard a man say from inside the tent. A elderly man with long white hair, probably in his sixties, exited the tent and took a look at her. "A dream traveler," he said to her.

Lilly chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Um, yes, I suppose I do that from time to time. Eagle Flies said you wanted to meet me and the wolves?"

Hawk Eye looked at Brian and James with a smile. "They are giants not of this world," he commented casually.

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"Your deceased brothers from a place called Tír na nÓg."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "How did you-"

"I am also a dream traveler. Come inside. We have much to discuss."

Lilly's eyes went wide in confusion. "Um, sure." She looked at her brothers who were clearly too big for the tipi. "Boys, be mindful of where you are. We're visitors here."

The boys bowed their heads to her and laid down as Lilly entered the shaman's little home. He motioned for her to sit and she obeyed, sitting in front of the fire.

* * *

"Sir!" a military man on a strawberry roan Ardennes approached Rains Fall and Arthur. "I'm glad I caught you, sir," he said to the chief.

"Captain Monroe," Rains Fall said, motioning an arm to Arthur. "Do you know my friend, Mr. Morgan?"

"No sir, I don't have the pleasure."

"Arthur Morgan," Arthur said as he walked to Rose.

"It's an honor, sir."

"How can I help you, Captain?" Rains Fall asked Monroe.

"I was just in Saint Denis. I spoke with the mayor. It's not good news, I'm afraid. May I ride with you for a little?"

"Of course. Follow me."

Arthur and Rains Fall got on their horses just as Lilly was coming over with Brian and James. He waved at her then saw the pale look on her face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Lilly looked up at him before mounting on Liath. "I had a talk with the shaman Hawk Eye."

"Oh, and how did that go?"

Arthur saw her eye Rains Fall then she glanced back at her husband. "We'll talk about it later."

"Ní féidir leat insint dom anois?" Arthur asked her. _[You can't tell me now?]_

"Bhí a lán faisnéise ann." _[There was a lot of information.]_

"Fair enough," Arthur said as he inclined his head to Lilly. "Oh, Captain, this is my wife Lilly Morgan. Lilly, this is Captain Monroe," Arthur said as he directed a finger towards the military man.

Monroe tipped his hat to her. "Ma'am, it is a pleasure."

Lilly nodded to him. "As it is mine."

"And these two misfits are Brian and James," Arthur chuckled as he introduced them.

The captain's eyes widened. "My God, they're huge."

"They're, uh, Canadian Timberwolves, sir," Lilly interjected.

"I've nevet heard of wolves getting that big."

Lilly merely shrugged at him. "So where we goin'?" Arthur asked the Indian chief.

"I want to show you a site up in the mountains that's long been sacred to me," Rains Fall explained. "A place for reflection and healing." The four people and the two wolves headed on out of the reservation. "What is this news, Captain Monroe?"

"Yessir. As I mentioned, I did speak again with the mayor and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Saint Denis at length, but regrettably it appears the oil company has already received approval to move forward with drilling on the reservation's land."

"That's awful!" Lilly exclaimed.

"I supposed as much. So what does that mean for us now?" Rains Fall asked Monroe.

"I'm not sure just yet. I didn't get the impression anything would be happening for a few months. I'm very sorry, sir. I did everything I could," Monroe said sadly.

"I know, Captain."

"I assure you I will continue to do as much as I can. Mr. Morgan, Mrs. Morgan, would you both have time to help me at all? I would rather certain actions were taken by friends outside the tribe.

"Sure, we can help," Arthur said, knowing full well his wife would want to help. She bowed her head to him with a grin.

"That's good news. Thank you. Come meet me on the reservation whenever you can. I'm sorry to be forward, but there's so much to be done. Anyway gentlemen, Mrs. Morgan, I won't take up any more of your time. I'll see you both soon."

"Sure."

"Thank you, Captain," Rains Fall said to Monroe.

"Enjoy the ride," Monroe said back to the chief. "I have some other business to attend to, Mr. Morgan." Monroe took off.

"We'll continue on this way. I'm going to look for some herbs to give you," Rains Fall said to Arthur.

"Thank you, sir," Lilly said.

"You're welcome." They traveled a little further down the road when Rains Fall spoke up again. "See the wolves over there feasting on that horse? Brutality and beauty are both around us, yet so often we are unable to see past our own grievances. This is what I try to teach my son."

Arthur took a peak and saw the wolves. However, they seemed to catch a whiff of Brian and James and it sent the wolves running off. Lilly chuckled at this. "Leave it to you to scare off animals with your smell. You boys need a bath."

Arthur cackled. "So...we don't know each other well, but...I wanted to speak to you about your son. We were there on the raid to steal back those horses and um, well, you know somethin' of Dutch, I think?"

"A little. Mostly from your friend Charles. Sorry, hold up a moment. That will have to wait. Some of the plants I need will be growing down there." The three stopped, dismounted, and walked down the hill.

Lilly walked to the ledge. "It's so beautiful up here," Lilly said. "Arthur, are you seein' this?"

Arthur looked out at the mountains and the forests and nodded. "Mmhmm. Sure is pretty."

"This is what I was looking for. English Mace." Rains Fall stopped at a yellow flower, picked it, and put it in his bag. "Okay, let's continue on."

Arthur noticed Lilly was still gazing out at the horizon. "Lilly, you ready to go?"

"Just a moment, dear. I..." she took a deep breath. "What are men to rocks and mountains?" he heard her say.

"What?" Arthur chuckled.

Lilly turned around, walked to her husband, and kissed his cheek. "Just somethin' I read in a book."

They headed back up the hill. "So back to what you was sayin' about knowin' Dutch?"

"Yes, a little. Mostly from your friend Charles," Rains Fall replied.

"I don't know why Dutch is gettin' involved in your situation and," they mounted up, "this ain't easy to say, but, I just don't trust that he's got your son's best interests at heart."

"Arthur!" Lilly interrupted. "Of course he does. He's just...well, you know..."

"Lilly, he raised me, same as he raised you, but...you gotta realize that he's been unravelin' for quite some time."

"But that ain't his fault! We been through a lot in the last six months and it hasn't been easy on Da. On any of us. That and...you know..." she eyeballed Rains Fall who looked confused but patient. "Tá sé á láimhsigh!" she yelled as she looked back at Arthur. _[He's being handled!]_

"Tá a fhios agam ach níl a fhios againn cé hé!" Arthur snapped at her. "Conas is féidir linn é a shocrú mura féidir linn an nathair a fháil?!" _[I know but we don't know who it is! How can we fix it if we can't get the snake?!]_

"Níl a fhios agam! Ach réiteofar é go luath!" _[I do not know! But it will be resolved soon!]_

"Conas atá a fhios agat?!" _[How do you know?!]_

"Dúirt Hawk Eye liom!" _[Eye Hawk told me!]_

"Excuse me," Rains Fall interrupted calmly, "but what does a member of my tribe have to do with this argument?"

Arthur and Lilly both looked at Rains Fall. "Hawk Eye, your shaman, told me many things. Specifically about a uh, problem we have in our own, um, tribe, if you will," Lilly explained.

"I see. As much as I enjoy watching you two argue, can we continue on?"

Arthur sighed at his wife then nodded. "Yes."

"So, what can we do about my son and Dutch?" Rains Fall asked Arthur as they trotted back on the trail.

"I don't rightly know. Charles and I just thought you should be aware. Maybe there's a way to stop things from gettin' any more out of control."

"Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Let me give this some thought."

Arthur decided to change the subject. "I had a son once. Years ago. I don't talk about him much."

"What was his name?"

"Isaac. His mother, Eliza, was a waitress I met. When she got pregnant, she knew who I was, what my life was. I didn't wanna promise nothin' I couldn't keep, but, I said I'd do right by them. Every few months I'd stop by there for a few days. He was such a good kid. She was too, I guess. Just a kid. Nineteen."

"Wait, stop here, I want to pick some ginseng. We can talk more about this later." They mounted off and walked to a red plant. "This will combine well," Rains Fall commented as he picked the plant. "Wait there, I'll put these in your saddle bag. Mix these together," he said, putting the herbs in Arthur's saddle bag. "They taste awful, but it'll help to keep your strength up." They all got back on their horses and carried on. "Alright, let's go. It's not much farther now. Anyway, what happened?"

Arthur, not feeling good about this next part, tensed up. "I got there one day and," he sighed, "saw two crosses outside and I knew right away. Turned out some bastards had come through, robbed 'em, and shot 'em dead. All for ten dollars. It hardened me...feelin' that kind of pain. But I know now that you don't get to live a bad life and have good things happen to you, but then uh," Arthur turned to his wife and smiled sadly, "well, that don't mean good things won't ever happen." Lilly came up and squeezed his hand.

"I think you're bein' hard on yourself."

"Maybe. All I can do now is try to make some things right, in case I don't make it."

* * *

Lilly frowned as they went on. She felt bad for Arthur and how he'd lost both Isaac and Eliza. She was only sixteen when that happened, and she remembered what happened when Arthur got back from that visit.

* * *

_16-year-old Lilly, in a red chemise shirt and blue overalls, with a ponytail in her long auburn hair, was out exploring the forest by camp. She was barefoot, of course. She climbed up a pine tree and when she got to the top, she took out her binoculars. She surveyed the landscape and took in the beauty of the mountains and rivers. She saw someone coming up the trail and recognized him right away. Arthur. She arched a brow. He was back early from his visit with Eliza and Isaac. Lilly quickly climbed down from the tree and skipped down the trail to meet him. She turned the corner and smiled, but the look in his eyes made her instantly concerned. He looked awful, like his whole heart had been ripped from his chest._

_"Arthur? You okay?" Arthur stopped his horse and looked at Lilly, but it was almost as if he didn't even see her. But when he locked eyes with her, Lilly knew immediately something bad happened. "What's wrong?" she asked him._

_"...They're dead."_

_Lilly held a hand to her mouth and cried out. "Oh my God..."_

_Arthur got closer to her, got off his horse, and fell to his knees. He bowed his head and Lilly rushed to hin immediately. "They was robbed...for ten fuckin' dollars!" he yelled angrily_.

 _Lilly wrapped her arms around Arthur and put his head to her shoulder as he laid his head into it. "Oh, Mo Fear Álainn...mo fhear, bocht álainn."_ _[My Beautiful Man...my poor, beautiful man.]_

_Lilly could smell the whiskey on him but she didn't care. Her beautiful man was hurting. Oh, poor little Isaac. Lilly loved that little boy to pieces. Lilly felt tears threaten to overcome her but she fought them back. She needed to be strong for Arthur. Lilly let him stay into her shoulder for a while before she pulled his head back and held his face. Arthur hadn't cried at all but he looked like he wanted to. The only time she'd known him to cry was the day they met when she was in that carriage accident. Lilly stared into his eyes with the most sincere look. "I'm so sorry. If you want to cry, you can in front of me."_

_Arthur glared at her and pushed her hands away. She stared at him in confusion as he got up and grabbed his horse Bodicea's reins. "I'm not gonna cry, god dammit!" he snapped before walking away towards the camp._

_Lilly watched him leave with a frown, got up, and brushed her knees off. She of all people knew what death could do to a person, and everyone had their own way of grieving. She had a feeling her way and his way were similar._ _As the days and weeks went by, Lilly watched with sadness as the Arthur she once knew seemed to wither away into a bitter, grumpy, and drunk 31-year-old who rarely smiled and laughed, and who never played pranks with her anymore. Playing pranks on him made him meaner so at some point, much to her own grief, she stopped pranking him. She turned her attention to others with both pranking and flirting, though she never flirted with Arthur. The only time she'd tried, he chastised and scolded her for being too young to flirt. She'd decided to bide her time with him until he saw her as a woman and not a little girl. Still, Lilly worried over his state of mind and his alcoholism until one day, just shy of turning 17, she'd had enough. It was night time when she stormed over to him by the camp fire, grabbed his bottle of bourbon and punched him in the face. He shook his head to clear it and everyone gasped or guffawed at her actions except Arthur, who just looked a little amused and wholly drunk._

_"What the fuck was that for?!" he yelled at her._

_"You, ya drunken shitebag! Ya dunna need tah be drinkin' every god damn day and night! Look at ya!" She threw the bottle away and pointed her finger in his face. "Go take a god damn bath and git yer shite together, man!"_

_Arthur laughed at her and got up. He wobbled and looked around. "Hey! Where's my bottle?"_

_Lilly punched him again, causing the men to laugh again. "Dunna ya go lookin' fer any more bottles tah wash yer woes away in! I'll break 'em all over yer head if it means knockin' some sense intah yas!"_

_Arthur looked at her flabbergasted and rubbed his cheek. "What is your problem, little girl?"_

_"Me problem? Me problem is ya turned into feckin Swanson over here!" She pointed at the reverend who was in a state of being high on morphine. He looked up when his name was called._

_"What's goin' on?" he mumbled._

_Lilly growled at Reverend Swanson. "Never ya mind!" She looked back at Arthur and shook him. "Ya need tah get sober! Ya need tah go take a bath! Ya need tah shave! Ya need tah put on fresh clothes because ya smell worse than a pig rollin' around in his own feckin' truffles on a hot summer day!" Some of the men laughed at the analogy and she glared at them. "OH SHUT UP!" her voice boomed._

_The men shut up and Arthur chuckled. "Lilly, maybe you should have a drink."_

_"Arthur!" Hosea snapped. "Don't you go offering my daughter alcohol! She's just a kid!"_

_Dutch held a hand up. "Hosea, let's just watch and see what happens here."_

_Hosea gaped at Dutch. "What are you talkin' about?"_

_Dutch smiled at his friend. "Just wait a minute..."_

_"No, she ain't thinkin' she's no kid," he groaned in amusement. "If she thinks she can boss me around, she obviously thinks she's a woman. Not that she is, but-"_

_"Arthur Morgan!" Lilly screeches, stomping her foot. "I am not a kid! I'm a woman that misses her Fear Álainn! Now yer just a drunken bastard who never plays with me anymore!"_

_Arthur stared at her wide eyed, then he smirked a little. "I'll stop drinkin' if you tell me what "Far All In" means."_

_Lilly considered it for a moment, but then she shook her head. "I don't believe you!"_

_"Are you callin' me a liar?" he asked and took a drunk step towards her._

_"Yes!"_

_Arthur cackled and suddenly grabbed her in his arms. "C'mere..."_

_"What are ya doin'?!" Lilly struggled in his grasp as he threw her over his shoulder. "Just what are ya doin'?! Have ya gone mad?!"_

_"Maybe," he said as he sauntered away with her._

_"Put me down!" She screamed in anger. "What are you-"_

_"Why don't you use your shout on me? I just might do what you ask!"_

_"I dunna like usin' it on yas!"_

_Arthur spanked her and laughed. "You're funny, kid. I guess I've missed playin' with you."_

_"Oh shut up and put me down!" Arthur walked onto the dock and put her down on her feet._

_"Okay." He pushed her into the water._

_Lilly gasped as she fell in and she jumped back to the surface, rubbing her face and coughing. "Ya god damn flamin' git! I hate ya, Arthur Morgan!"_

_Arthur grabbed his heart and fell to his knees. "Oh, that really hurts!" he mocked. "You've broken my heart!" he said with a laugh_.

_"Oh shut up!" Lilly got to the dock but he pushed her in again. She splashed him and he cackled in glee. She started swimming to the shore. "I will git ya, ya bastard!"_

_Suddenly he ran off the dock away from the lake. "You'll never take me alive!" he shouted._

_Lilly got out of the water and chased after him. "In that case, I'll just kill ya instead!" she shouted back._

_Lilly continued to chase after him and Arthur, being as drunk as he was, tripped over something and fell. Just as he rolled over, Lilly pounced on him and beat his chest repeatedly. Arthur grabbed her wrists and yanked her down to him. She yelped and her breath caught when their faces got close. "Lillian, you are the most amusin' girl I know," he said. "You know, if you weren't so much younger than me, I'd court you once you were old enough to be courted."_

_Lilly blinked at him and smiled. "Really?"_

_Arthur suddenly started tickling her and she screeched in happiness as he rolled on top of her and continued tickling her. "Sure, if you didn't have such a bad temper!"_

_Lilly wriggled and squirmed, hardly able to breathe as she kept laughing. "Stop it!" she giggled hysterically._

_"Then say uncle!"_

_"Never!" Arthur laughed maniacally and kept on tickling her. Lilly managed to squirm away and went running into the woods. Arthur caught up and grabbed her from behind. "Ack! No!"_

_Arthur made no attempt to tickle her, but he just held onto her. "I miss you too," he said. Lilly, breathing heavily, turned and jumped into his arms, holding onto him tightly. He squeezed her to him and kissed her cheek. "I really do, Lilly."_

_Lilly nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. "Oh, Mo Fear Álainn..."_ _she whispered._

_"One day, I will find out what that means."_


	66. The Bear

Lilly listened to Arthur and Rains Fall talk about Captain Monroe, and for the most part, she kept silent. Lilly was mostly contemplating what the shaman Hawk Eye had told her. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a distraught Rains Fall.

"What's happened?" he said in shock, getting off his horse. "No, it can't be!" Rains Fall went running to a small round tent made of animal skin that was now burned. Arthur and Lilly looked at each other before dismounting and chasing after Rains Fall. He fell to his knees in front of the burned Indian site. "No! They destroyed everything! No, I need to find the Chanupa. Who...who would do this?"

"Someone who wanted to enrage you," Arthur observed as he looked around the camp site.

Lilly had never heard the man Rains Fall so distraught. He was always so calm and collected, but that's not what he sounded like now. Lilly frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Bastards!" she shouted.

"Help me look around, please. The Chanupa is gone," Rains said sadly.

Lilly, Arthur and the boys searched the area for whatever this "Chanupa" was. "Of course," Arthur said. "What is it?"

"A ceremonial pipe...there must be some clue as to what happened here."

Arthur took one end while Lilly took another but she spotted smoke coming from down the mountain. "Rains Fall. Arthur. Over here. I see a camp down there. Looks like the army." Lilly took out her binoculars and focused on the camp. She saw three men in military uniforms shoving each other around. "Yep. Definitely army. What a bunch of shitebags!"

"Oh, there they are," Rains Fall said beside her. "These...brave men..." he spoke with an angry bitterness that sent chills up her spine. "Some of Colonel Favours' men. They must have been the ones who did this."

"Are you surprised this happened?" Arthur said on the other side of her.

"Not at all...but...I hoped we were past this."

"You got land they want...land with oil."

"They moved us here. They've taken everything we had. I signed three treaties myself, and they've broken each one. Now they've taken the last hope." Rains Fall sounded like he was on the verge of tears. "Now my people are gonna want a war. A war they can't win."

Lilly lowered her binoculars. Arthur sighed deeply and started walking down the trail with fury in his every step. "Where are you goin'?" Lilly asked.

He stopped and looked up at her with anger in his face. "I'm goin' to go get 'em back." And without another word he trailed down the road.

Lilly put her binoculars away. "Just do it quietly," she shouted. "They'll retaliate if you kill someone."

"Yes, sweetheart, I know!" he snapped.

Lilly shook her head and chuckled. "Well, all we can do now is wait."

Rains Fall looked at her and smiled sadly. "Your husband is a good man."

Lilly nodded in agreement. "Yes he is. I just wish he wasn't sick and dyin'. Although, well..." Lilly thought best not to mention The Morrigan at that time. "I hope the treatments I'm makin' him do will help him not die."

"What does he have, if I may ask?"

"Tuberculosis."

Rains Fall sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that." He walked over to the camp site and Lilly followed. They both sat down. "So, you talked to Hawk Eye."

"Yes."

"He tells me you have two spirits."

"Yes, Eagle Flies and Hawk Eye did mention that."

"Is there any truth to this?"

Lilly looked at the man and sighed. She felt she could trust Rains Fall, but what she had going on was, well, ridiculously miraculous and impossible, if she was being honest. Would he even believe her? "I think we can trust him," Adair said in her head.

Lilly scowled. "I told you not to talk to me," she snapped.

"I'm sorry?" Rains Fall said in a confused voice.

Lilly went wide eyed. "Sorry, I...I wasn't talkin' to you."

"Then who were you talking to?"

"The other spirit."

"So it is true?"

Lilly frowned. "Yes. I'm sorry, I know it seems...impossible. Well, I've been dealin' with a lot of impossible shit in the last six months."

"Such as?"

Lilly pressed a hand to her belly and looked down. "I died, you know. Three times. Once in an accident when I was seven, then I was poisoned a while back, then I was burned at the stake. I was infertile until a goddess cured it. I'm a reincarnated goddess, and my wolves are my deceased brothers. And I have...super powers." Lilly clamped a hand over her mouth.

Rains Fall actually laughed. "That does sound impossible, but who am I to question it? I've seen many things that one would call impossible."

"Oh really? Name something."

"Somewhere near an old abandoned mining town, in the mountains to the west, there is a special cave. If you go down in there deep enough, there's a giant oak tree in one of the caverns. One of my men took me to see it."

Lilly's eyes went wide. She'd had a vision of that once or twice. "Was...was the name of the town Colter?"

"Yes."

Lilly started laughing. "I think I know which cave you're referring to. I took shelter in it during a huge blizzard. It's actually where I met my wolves. They were just regular sized gray pups then."

Rains Fall smiled at her. "You were lucky they didn't eat you."

"Well, I had a dead horse with me, so..."

"As I said before, brutality and beauty."

Lilly nodded. "So what kind of place was this?"

"We use these sacred grounds for meditation, reflection, and healing. Our shaman and I are the ones who use it the most, but now..."

Lilly looked at the spherical tent and sighed. "Was the animal skin special?"

"It was made out of deer skin. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Lilly scratched the back of her neck, "I was thinkin' if you wanted help rebuilding it, I could get the skins for you."

"Really?" Rains Fall looked shocked.

"Yes. I hunt. I even use a bow most of the time."

"Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. You and your husband are good people."

"We try to be."

Rains Fall turned to her. "So, what kind of super powers do you have?"

"I have a very powerful shout, and I have a very weird effect on people with my singing. Super strength, advanced healing, I can switch voices with people, and I...well..." Lilly got up and stood in front of Rains Fall. "It's best if I just show you."

Rains Fall nodded. Lilly's body was enveloped in light and when it vanished, Adair was left standing in Lilly's place. Rains Fall slowly stood with awe in his eyes.

"This is the second spirit?"

"Yes," Adair said.

"But you both look the same."

Adair's wings unfurled and she raised them with a devilish smirk on her face. "You were saying?"

Rains Fall put a hand to his mouth and walked around Adair. "This is truly a marvel," he said softly, as if he had a hard time finding his own voice. "Extraordinary."

Adair let out a brief laugh. "Thank you, Rains Fall." She heard Arthur coming back up the path and turned towards the sound. "He's back," she said.

Arthur came into view but he stopped when he saw Adair. He sighed. "Adair, ní féidir leat tú féin a thaispeáint i gcónaí," _[_ _you cannot always show yourself_. _]_ Arthur barked with a scolding tone as he walked over.

"An ordú é sin?" _[Is that an order?]_ Adair asked Arthur.

"Níl, ach níl a fhios againn an fear seo. Tá sé contúirteach tú féin a nochtadh." _[No, but we do not know this man. It is dangerous to expose yourself.]_

As Adair rolled her eyes and shifted back into Lilly, Rains Fall redirected his attention to Arthur. "Please tell me you found it."

"Here, I," Arthur went digging around in his bag while holding the ceremonial pipe in his other hand. "I got your things, I-I think," he said, sounding unsure of himself.

Rains Fall was given the pipe and the other objects. "Yes. Thank you."

"I'm very sorry about this," said Arthur genuinely.

Rains Fall studied the pipe as if it were an old friend. "Even sacred things are only things. People," Rains Fall looked at Arthur and motioned to his own chest, "the heart, matter more. Was anyone hurt?"

Arthur shook his head. "No one was killed."

"Well done...well done. I wish my son knew such restraint. My people owe you a great debt and I'm giving you very little." Rains Fall reached into his bag and pulled out a trinket. "But please, take this." Arthur grabbed it as Rains Fall handed it to him. "We believe it to be sacred."

Arthur studied it for a moment and looked at the man with gratitude on his face. "Thank you."

"Thank you," Rains Fall repeatedly with even more gratitude in his voice. "Take those herbs I gave you, please. And most of all, I hope you can find peace within yourself."

Rains Fall walked away to his horse, mounted and left as Arthur bent down and examined the destroyed hut. He shook his head and sighed. "I can't believe someone could be so cruel," Lilly stated angrily. "I mean, I've had my fair share of cruel treatment, but this...this is so much worse, somehow."

"I know," Arthur agreed. "It's awful." He turned to her and felt her belly. "How are my babies?"

"They're doin' good, my love," she said lovingly. She kissed Arthur softly and grazed a finger on his cheek. "It's time for your milk."

Arthur cackled. "Okay, okay," he said. He got his milk pouch and drank some of it. "Bleh, I'm still not used to the taste."

"Well it's probably not ss bad as the herbs Rains Fall gave you. We should mix them now. What did he say they were? Ginseng and English Mace?"

"Yes."

"Well, we better go lookin' for some. Hopefully we'll find some in the mountains here."

After finding a good amount of English Mace and some Ginseng, Lilly made the tonic for Arthur and gave him a drink of it. He did, in fact, feel like he had his strength back and Lilly smiled when he told her. They left the mountains and made their way back to camp for some rest and relaxation. But as soon as they got there, Uncle ambushed them.

"Hey, hey big man...I'm worried. I'm really worried," Uncle said to Arthur.

Arthur sighed. "Me too, Uncle."

"What's gonna happen, you know...to everybody?"

Arthur shrugged. "I guess...folks is gonna make a choice. Whether they live...or die."

"And you?"

"I'm just...tryin' to help others see clearly. That's my choice."

"You're a good man, Arthur Morgan. A good man."

Uncle walked away and Lilly sighed. "He's right, you know. You are a good man."

Arthur blew a raspberry. "Oh shut up, woman."

Lilly laughed happily and kissed her husband softly. Suddenly he started coughing and Lilly pat him on the back as Javier walked up to them. "You okay, friend?" Javier asked Arthur.

Arthur spit some blood out. "Never better," he replied with a hoarseness in his voice.

"Dutch...you're breakin' his heart, you know that?"

Lilly raised a brow. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Javier?" Lilly asked him.

"For goin' after John when Dutch said no. And look what happened."

"And I'd go through it all over again if it meant John wasn't gonna get hanged!" Lilly snapped.

"He tell you to say this to me, friend?" Arthur asked Javier.

"No...but I know," Javier replied as if he knew something.

"Dutch...and that fool in his ear, they're gonna kill every last one of us. I see that now."

Javier chuckled, raised his hands and walked away. "What ever happened to loyalty, Arthur?"

Lilly scowled and looked at her husband. "You okay? Maybe you should take some more of that st-"

"I'm fine, Lilly," Arthur said to her, stroking her cheek. "Just a little cough right now, nothin' serious."

Lilly shut her eyes and grabbed his hand, kissing his palm with her mouth. "I don't want you to die, Arthur."

Arthur wrapped her in his arms. "I'm gonna be fine. The Morrigan said I'd be healed."

"Yeah, but when? Why can't she do it now?"

"I don't know, darlin', but I'm pretty sure she knows what she's doin'."

Lilly walked him over to the tent. "And I still need to figure out who the...rat is." Lilly looked at Arthur and smiled knowingly. "What you just said to Javier about Da...who's in his ear?"

"That would be Micah. He and Dutch have been gettin' real close lately and not includin' me in things, and it's been..." Arthur's jaw dropped. "Do you think he's the snake?"

Lilly sighed. "I...um...I misinterpreted what the old man said. Micah is the rat, but the snake is a different person."

"What do you mean you misinterpreted? I don't understand, darlin'," Arthur said with a confused face.

Lilly sat down and pulled Arthur down with her. "I need to tell you what the shaman Hawk Eye said to me."

* * *

_"I sense your second spirit, Mrs. Morgan."_

_Lilly giggled nervously. "Yes, that would be Adair. She's a uh...I'm a uh...it's hard to explain."_

_"She was reborn within you. Explain how that is complicated."_

_Lilly's mouth parted. "Well, I'm not quite sure how it happened, or how it's even possible."_

_"Adair's mother. It was her doing. Adair's spirit was placed in an oak tree not far from your home. A piece of her was given to your mother in exchange for your mother's fertility to improve."_

_Lilly blinked a few times. "The Morrigan made a deal with my father, who had killed Adair in the first place. I was told Adair was responsible for famines in my home country, but both Adair and The Morrigan deny this."_

_"And rightly so. Your uncle was influenced by dark magic, the same black song that manipulates your father through he who is like the Lord."_

_Lilly tilted her head. "I don't understand."_

_"You will."_

_"And...who wields this dark magic?"_

_"Someone you will not fight for quite some time. The snake that controls the rat."_

_Lilly shut her eyes for a moment. "Wait, I was told the snake and the rat were the same person."_

_"You were told to cut the head off the snake, for the snake and the rat are one," the shaman said with a small smile._

_Lilly's jaw dropped and her eyes squinted, then it dawned on her and she let out a brief laugh. "Ooooh. Well, my ability to interpret is not exactly, uh, all that great when it comes to riddles and symbols."_

_"That's alright. You will learn in time."_

_"So, who is the rat?"_

_"I'm afraid dark magic clouds the answer. And The Morrigan does not know either, though she pretends to. The dark magic is strong in a woman from a distant land, a land where gods and goddesses once roamed inside temples made of marble, brick, and mud. They are gone, but the witch is not. She has returned but cannot set foot in your homeland."_

_"Why?"_

_"She was cast out, along with her sons Darkness, Evil, and Violence, and as long as Ireland is protected by water, they cannot return."_

_Lilly shook her head. "Why are you telling me all this?"_

_"The Morrigan comes to me in dreams. She asked me to help guide you. She has been busy trying to protect her realm from the dark magic. But," Hawk Eye smiled, "you will see her again when your husband is healed."_

_Lilly frowned. "When is my husband supposed to be healed?" she asked him._

_"Soon_ _."_

_Lilly scratched the back of her head. "You know, for someone who is supposed to have immaculate clarity, you sure are bein' vague."_

_"The Morrigan told me to be vague. She said you would figure the rest out on your own."_

_Lilly sighed. "So she did. Well, that feels more like a set back."_

_"She trusts in your cleverness."_

_Lilly laughed. "If you say so. Anything else?"_

_"No. Your husband is about to leave with Rains Fall and Captain Monroe. I suggest you catch up, but please feel free to stop by any time."_

* * *

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck and eyed Lilly. "That was...he who is like the Lord, that definitely don't sound like Micah."

Lilly nodded. "It's probably symbolic. I still think we should keep an eye on him."

Arthur grunted in agreement. "Why can't these people just tell us the answers instead of dickin' us around?"

Lilly giggled. "Well, apparently I'm clever enough to figure it out." Lilly went to her nightstand and pulled out her journal. "I'm gonna write this shit down so I don't forget."

As she sat back bown, Arthur laid on the bed and pulled out the owl talisman. "Once you're done with that, I wanna show you somethin'."

Lilly looked at him. "What's that?"

Arthur rolled over and crawled to her. "Just hurry up, please." Lilly chuckled and scribbled quickly. When she was done, Arthur laid with her on the bed and pulled out his journal. "Since you're my wife, I'm gonna read to you some of my journal."

Lilly's jaw went slack. "Are you serious? You _never_ let anyone read that thing!"

Arthur laughed and opened it. "I know, but like I said, you're my wife, so c'mere..."

Arthur and her adjusted so Lilly could lay between his legs with her back to his chest. Arthur's back was to the bedframe and he opened up to a random page. "This is so exciting," Lilly said as she pulled out some salted beef and started chewing on it. Arthur started reading out loud.

"Met a lady scientist. Deborah somethin' or other. Seemed to be more mad than sane, but I don't have much frame of reference for scientists. Wanted me to see if I could help her find dinosaur bones and send her the details. Maybe."

Lilly gnawed on the meat. "Ooooo. Dinosaur bones. How delightful." Lilly studied the doodle Arthur made of the woman and smiled. "That's a pretty good drawing, Arthur."

"Thanks." Arthur turned to another page. "Oh, here's one about Mr. Mason. You remember him, don't you, sweetheart?"

Lilly giggled and stroked the drawing of Albert. "How could I forget?"

Arthur cleared his throat. "Met a nice fella taking photos of animals. Albert Mason, I think he was called. Kind and interesting and entirely lost and unused to real country, even though he seemed to love it. Trying to take pictures of our biggest predators, before they all got killed off themselves by the modern world. Should have got him to take a picture of Dutch."

Lilly broke into a cackling fit and Arthur followed suit. "That's so fuckin' funny."

"He got robbed by a coyote, but I got him his bait back."

They both laughed even harder. "Oh, that's great."

Arthur turned to another page. "Met a man. Francis Sinclair. Wants me to find some old rock carvings and send him details. Not sure why. I probably won't bother. Francis had bright red hair and a birthmark and spoke in an odd way."

Lilly looked up at Arthur. "Odd how?"

"Things like, "I'm on the up and up," and "on the hooch" and he called me "sport". He was...perky."

"Perky? Ha!"

Arthut turned to another page. "Oh, this..."

Lilly saw a drawing of Valentine. "What? Oh. Ah, the night we went drinking. Read me that one, love." She took a bite of her salted beef.

"Went off drinking with young Lenny and Lilly. Thanks to my own peculiar genius for trouble when drunk, my proposal to Lilly did not exactly go to plan and she almost turned me down because we were fighting until I told her I knew Gaeilge. Then she said yes, which made me ecstatic. The three of us had a wonderful night there, but a man by the name of Joseph Pierce showed up with a letter for my betrothed from her...well, her former betrothed. The letter was laughable."

Lilly giggled. "It was."

Arthur turned the page and frowned. "Oh, not this one."

He was about to turn the page when Lilly grabbed it from him. "Lilly died today," she read out loud. "Oh."

Arthur grabbed the book back. "Don't make me read that one, please."

Lilly nodded and kissed him. She turned over, straddled him, and tossed the journal away. "I think that's enough readin' for now, Mr. Morgan," she said with a seductive purr in her voice.

Arthur smiled up at her, pulled her head down and kissed her. "Okay," he said into her mouth. "Mmm, baby girl..."

"Mmm, bithiúnach..."

* * *

"Mr. and Mrs. Morgan!" Captain Monroe shouted with a wave as the couple entered the Wapiti Reservation. They got off their horses and walked over.

"Hello," Arthur said to Captain Monroe. "Here we are, as promised."

Monroe was a little distracted as he was feeding a sick child, then he looked up at the couple. "Captain Monroe."

"Of course."

"The chief's gone out tryin' to find medications, it's quite a business," he said, still feeding the sick child.

"Yes." Arthur looked around. "I thought we were through with all of this."

Monroe stood up. "We are, mostly. Colonel Favours seems to think the natives have broken some promise they never made, and apparently he's punishin' them by withholdin' vaccines," Monroe walked over to a pot of food, "sent down by the Federal Government."

Lilly gave a shake of her head. "What a mingin' melter."

Monroe blinked at Lilly with confusion on his face. "Um, what?"

"It means a dirty pain in the ass."

Monroe stifled a laugh as he poured a bowl of soup for an elderly native. Yes, ahem, very. I was supposed to oversee the administration of vaccines. Now I hear the wagon's been diverted."

"Why would he do such a thing?" Arthur asked him.

"To be honest, I truly don't know," Monroe replied as he gave the bowl to the old man, then he rubbed the back of his neck. "They say he didn't have a very good war, so...maybe he's tryin' to start another one."

"Is that what you think?"

"I'm tryin' to find out, and he knows I'm tryin' to find out. He'd love to provoke me almost as much as as he'd love to provoke these poor bastards," Monroe said while dishing out more stew.

Lilly shook her head. "Cheerful fellow, ain't he?" Lilly spat bitterly.

 _"We could just kill him,"_ Adair said.

While Lilly considered the thought, she was still a bit peeved at Adair and Lilly didn't want to appear as if she were talking to herself, so she ignored Adair's suggestion. "So what's this all mean?"

"It means that despite the fact that I think he's a horse's ass," Monroe spoke, giving another bowl of soup to a native, "he knows I think that. So we're just stuck here tryin' to make the best of things."

Lilly scoffed. "This doesn't seem like the best of things to me. This is horseshit! I mean, there's sick children here!" Lilly pointed to the boy in his mother's lap. "Where's this wagon? How do we find it?" Lilly asked without giving it a second thought.

"I can show you," Monroe replied as he fed the child. "Supposed to be headin' to Wapiti after comin' up through Valentine, but it's been diverted south instead."

"Then let's get goin'!" Lilly snapped. "Arthur, you comin'?"

Monroe and Arthur followed her. "'Course, darlin'," Arthut said with an affectionate voice.

"M-Mrs. Morgan! Mr. Morgan!" Monroe stopped them. "We must act with due caution."

"Oh, we shall," Arthur said. "We surely shall. Now come."

All three people went and mounted up. Lilly realized Arthur was just as angry as she was and she smiled at him. "Fear céile, líonann tú mé le bród." _[Husband, you fill me with pride_ _.]_

Arthur glanced at her and smirked. "Mar a dhéanann tú domsa, bean chéile." _[As do you for me, wife.]_

Monroe looked at them strangely. "What language is that?"

"Gaeilge," the couple both said.

"But you can call it Irish, if you want," Lilly said with a grin.

"Sounds...hard to learn."

Arthur laughed. "Oh, it is. I've been learnin' for five years now and I still have difficulty with some of it. The big words still get to me. Like, uh...honey, what's that word for photography?"

Lilly laughed with enjoyment on her face. "Grianghrafadóireachta."

Monroe was slack-jawed and wide-eyed. "What?"

Lilly laughed. "Green hra fa doy ee reck ta," she repeated, but slower. "I know, so difficult. Anyway, shall we press on?"

"Okay, I think I know a spot where we should be able to intercept it."

"Lead the way, Captain," Arthur said. As they left the reservation, Arthur continued the conversation. ."So this Colonel Favours, he knows you're up here helpin' these people?"

"Yes...and no. He knows I'm here to produce a report on the situation," the captain explained. "I was sent down from the North after all the news of unrest in the region. But I think my presence might be makin' things worse."

"What do you mean?"

"I worry he's takin' some of these actions more to protect himself now. If he can incite more retaliation, maybe he can prove a stronger defense."

"Like destroyin' that shrine."

"Yes, and takin' their horses. I mean, I don't know if he personally sanctioned any of this or not. This is the other problem, there's a culture now in his regiment. The rot has traveled down the trunk."

Lilly felt more infuriated the more Captain Monroe described the situation. "Let's find the wagon and I'll get the medicine. You shouldn't be seen around any of this."

Arthur glanced at her with a puzzled look in his eyes. "Wait, who said you were doin' this?"

Lilly looked back at him with squinted sapphire eyes. "I just did. You got to do the last one."

Arthur groaned. "Fiiine."

"Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. But I must ask you to please be discrete. We really cannot afford more conflict. I'm still hoping a meeting can be arranged between Rains Fall and Colonel Favours," explained Captain Monroe.

"So, discrete. How discrete?" Lilly asked him.

"You only need to commandeer the vaccine. Not bein' seen is preferable..." he looked at her pregnant belly, "if you can manage."

"Oh, I can manage. And I swear I won't be seen," Lilly said with an innocent smile.

Adair laughed inside her head. _"I have an idea."_

"What?" Lilly whispered as Captain Monroe kept on with Arthur.

_"You do remember I am a shapeshifter like my mother, yes?"_

Lilly suddenly grinned fron ear to ear. "What did you have in mind?" Lilly whispered again.

* * *

As the men and Lilly found a good vantage point on a high ledge, Arthur used his binoculars to look for the wagon. "You're good folks, you two, but I fear this task to be a fool's errand."

"Well firstly, I am a long way from a good man, seco-"

Lilly slapped his arm lightly. "Just shut up and take the compliment."

Arthur chortled at her. "Yes, m'lady."

Lilly looked at him from the corner of her eye and smiled. "Silly man."

Arthur turned to Captain Monroe. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course," replied Monroe.

"Why don't you just tell all the folk up in Washington what kind of an idiot Colonel Favours is and save us all a lot of bother?"

Monroe chuckled. "Unfortunately the government doesn't work quite like that."

"If you say so."

"There," Monroe pointed. "I think that's the wagon."

Arthur gazed through the binoculars. "Alright, get yourself outta here."

"Just remember to keep it clean. Understand me?" Monroe said to Lilly as he crouched up to leave.

"Of course, Captain," she replied as she looked out at the wagon.

"Well, good luck."

"See you back at Wapiti."

"Try not to get yourself killed, Mrs. Morgan." Captain Monroe left and mounted his horse.

Arthur looked at his wife. "You gonna get goin'?"

Lilly held up a hand. "I'm waitin' for Captain Monroe to leave."

"Why? If you don't go now, you'll miss the wagon."

Lilly chuckled. "Adair and I got an idea."

Arthur threw up his hands as Lilly was enveloped by light and Adair appeared. "What are you doin'?!"

Adair smiled as her red wings came out. "Something amazing."

Adair stood up and dove off the edge. Arthur leaned over and watched as she landed on the ground effortlessly. Her body started changing into something big with red fur. Arthur stared in disbelied as the goddess shifted into a red grizzly bear. "You have got to be kiddin' me!"

* * *

Adair, in her new form, ran towards the woods in the direction of the wagon. It was exhilarating for Lilly to be like this, even if she really wasn't.

 _"Oh my God, Adair! This is ridiculous!"_ Lilly said in Adair's mind with a laugh. _"Why didn't you do this before?"_

"Other than at Sisika, I had no reason to shift," Adair replied as she ran through the trees.

_"You can talk in this form?!"_

"Yes."

Adair saw the wagon turn the corner and she charged faster. She let out a loud roar to get the men's attention as she got to the middle of the road. The men pulled back the reins immediately and Adair roared again. The horses bucked and neighed in fright but the men just sat where they were, frozen in fear. Suddenly one of them pulled out a gun and fired. It bounced off Adair's shoulder and she charged with a bellow. The men jumped out and ran away screaming. Adair stopped and let out a sigh. Once the men were out of sight, Adair shifted back into her regular form. The horses bayed and went on their hind legs as Adair tried to soothe them.

"Easy, easy," she cooed. "There there, I will not hurt you," she said in a soft voice as if she were speaking to a child.

The horses gradually calmed down and she pet them both. Adair climbed into the wagon and searched through the boxes. When she found some vials, Lilly spoke up in her head.

_"Those are the vaccines._ _"_

"But what about the other supplies? Should we not confiscate them?"

 _"I'm sure other people will. Let's go_."

Lilly," Adair said as she jumped out of the wagon. "I am sorry for what I did to Arthur. Truly."

_"I know. You were just defendin' me, but he and I always say things like that when we fight. We never mean any of it."_

"I see. Humans are strange." Adair started walking down the path as Arthur came galloping along on Rose with Liath behind him.

 _"Love is strange. But you are forgiven_."

"Thank you."

Adair shifted back into Lilly and then the Irish woman mounted on Liath while putting the boxes of medicine in her saddlebag. Arthur merely gaped at her and she chuckled. "What?"

"You fuckin' changed into a bear!" he shouted as they trotted down the trail.

"Technically that was Adair's doin'," Lilly said with a giggle. "It was absolutely amazin', Arthur!"

Arthur shook his head and sighed. "It sure looked amazin'."

They hurried along the trail and soon enough, they were back in Wapiti. As they dismounted, Brian and James came out of nowhere and Lilly greeted them.

"Hello, boys. Where have you been?" They only looked at her and she chuckled happily.

Lilly grabbed the vaccines and her husband and she went around looking for Captain Monroe. He was tending to another sick native. "Hey, Captain! I got the medicine!"

Monroe stood up as Lilly handed them over. "Oh, wonderful. That's great news, Mr. Morgan."

"It went fine. As I promised, I was not seen."

She could almost hear Arthur groan internally. "I'll have to take your word for that." Monroe took out a vial and examined it. "We could swing for this."

Arthur started coughing and Lilly pat his back. "True, but it won't come to that."

"Maybe." Monroe set the boxes down. "I just hope Colonel Favours thinks he was robbed by bandits, and not..."

"Oh, don't get it wrong. We are both bandits."

"Of course. Well, I better get to work." He shook both their hands. "Thank you, both of you. Bandit or not, this was a good thing. Maybe it'll get us all three of us killed, but it had to be done."

Lilly and Arthur said their goodbyes and went to their horses. "So, we gonna tell anyone what happened?" Arthur asked her.

"No. I think people still have a hard time with me bein' a reincarnated goddess, so...best we keep this a secret for now."


	67. Ta Grá Agam Duit

Lilly woke up the next morning with Arthur sleeping next to her. She rolled over and nuzzled his neck. He was cold and clammy. Lilly frowned, got up, and found a thicker blanket to put on him. She dressed in her black summer gunslinger outfit and rolled the sleeves down. Summer had changed into fall and winter was going to be on its way. Lilly rubbed her arms a bit as she grabbed a dark red woolen jacket and put it on. She brushed her hair and braided it, but as she was about to walk outside, Arthur started coughing himself awake.

"H-Hey," he said, letting another cough come out. "You...where you goin'?"

"To get some breakfast and coffee. You want any?"

"S-Sure," he wheezed and coughed again. Lilly frowned as she left the tent. When the hell was her husband supposed to be healed? She really wished she could talk to The Morrigan, but Lilly knew the goddess was busy defending Tír na nÓg from...whoever was bringing in dark magic. Lilly figured the snake and the dark magic had to be connected. If that was the case, was Micah being controlled too? Just like her Da? So perhaps if Micah was the rat, all of this was not his doing. Still, he was an asshole. But still, again, she almost felt bad for Micah. _Almost._

As Lilly made her way over to the stew pot, she spotted Trelawny sitting at a table with a suitcase and bag. Lilly knew what that meant. He was leaving. She decided to talk to him after grabbing Arthur some food. She grabbed two bowls and brought one to Arthur who decided to grace the camp with his presence. He didn't look well at all today. They were running low on milk. She'd have to make more.

"You need warmer clothing on. It's fall," she said to her husband.

Arthur nodded. "Alright, let me go get my jacket and we'll go eat. Wanna bring my food to a table?"

Lilly kissed his cheek. "Sure."

Lilly walked over to Trelawny and sat down with the bowls. "Trelawny," she said. She eyed the bags again. "You leavin', huh?"

He looked uncomfortable. "I was, I, uh," he cleared his throat. "Yes, just leaving. I'll see you soon."

Lilly decided to face reality at that moment. Not everyone was going to Ireland. They'd given up and there was nothing Lilly could do about it. So, she gave Trelawny a smile. "It's okay, Josiah. No need to beat around the bush with me. This is," she waved her arm around the camp, "it's all over."

"We'll, I'll be back."

Lilly chuckled. "No you won't."

Arthur approached them in his grizzly outlaw attire and sat down in front of his food with two cups of coffee. "She's right, let's not pretend no more. Get outta here."

Josiah frowned and reached for his things. "I'll miss you, Arthur, Lilly. You both have been fine friends to me."

They all stood up. "No, let's not get over sentimental."

Lilly laughed a little. "Maybe you won't, but I will." Lilly went and gave a big hug to Josiah and he hugged her back. "When I get to Ireland. please stop by for a visit if you can. Hell, we're gonna have plenty of room now, I imagine."

Lilly let go and Trelawny smiled at her. "Thank you, Lilly."

Arthur pat Trelawny on the arm. "Go on, place is quiet, get outta here. You go with our blessing."

"...Thank you, Arthur," Trelawny said. He then hurried over to his horse with the suitcase and bag.

Arthur sat down on a box while Lilly half sat on the table. She looked around camp and sighed. "It really is over, ain't it?" she asked Arthur.

"Yes," he said as he took a mouthful of food. Lilly grabbed her own plate and practically chugged it, she was so hungry. Arthur laughed. "Slow down, you'll choke, mo ghrá." _[my love.]_

Lilly giggled. "Shush, I'm eatin' for three." She smiled down at him. "Well, it was great while it lasted, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was. And you were the best part of it all."

Lilly blushed, bent down, grabbed his face with a fingerless gloved hand and kissed him. "Tá grá agam duit." _[I love you.]_

Arthur kissed her back. "And I love you, Lilly Morgan."

"Sorry to interrupt, but I found a friend looking for you," Charles said behind her.

Lilly turned around and saw Rains Fall coming in. "Mr. and Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly and Arthur both stood. "Sir," they both said.

"How are you?" Rains Fall asked Arthur. Lilly assumed he was really asking after her husband's health.

"A little better," Arthur replied.

"I hope so."

"How can we help you?"

"I am sorry to impose on you again, but I believe I've made progress brokering peace."

Lilly grinned and Arthur looked shocked. "You have?" Arthur sat back down and Lilly stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders.

"I believe so. Colonel Favours has agreed to a meeting to discuss, and maybe resolve his alleged grievances and mine. Now, he has lied to me more times than I care to remember, but maybe this time, he must want peace. Why could he possibly want to humiliate us further?"

Arthur stood up. "Yes. We got words for his kind, but they're colloquial," Arthur said to Rains Fall casually.

Lilly sighed. "If I may be so bold to offer my colloquial opinion, sir?" Lilly asked him, her tone full of polite intentions.

"You may," the chief replied.

Lilly pinched the bridge of his nose, and without even the slightest bit of hesitation, she voiced her opinion. "The guy is full of horse shit."

Charles stifled a laugh but Arthur cackled. "What makes you so sure?"

"I have heard a lot about this Colonel Favours," she spat, "and it's been nothin' nice. I mean, by all means, go to the meeting so at least you know you tried, but I wouldn't go in there with high expectations."

The chief nodded. "I agree. But...perhaps I could make one last request. My men are not allowed to carry arms."

"You want us to keep the peace?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah, it'll be a lot of dull talking and ceremony, but I feel with some non-tribe members present, their chances of lying or worse will be reduced."

"Will you, guys?" Charles asked, his eyes looking almost like he was begging.

Lilly giggled and clapped Charles' arm. "Stop with the puppy dog eyes, Charles. Of course I'm in." Lilly looked back at Arthur. "How 'bout you, mo chuisle?"

Arthur crossed his arms and scratched at his stubble. "It ain't our business, brother, but...sure, come on."

Lilly walked to Doc, Arthur went to Tessa, and Charles went to Taima. They mounted up and Lilly saw Brian and James coming down the trail to camp with dead animal carcasses in their mouths. Charles, Lilly, Rains Fall, and Arthur watched in amazement as they brought their kills to Pearson. Pearson laughed, took the deceased creatures, and pet both the boys. "Thank you, Brian and James!" Pearson took out raw meat and gave them both some pieces.

Lilly started laughing. "Has this become a normal routine, Mr. Pearson?" she asked him.

"Oh yes. They've been more than helpful. I feel as if they sense the, uh, low morale of the camp and just want to help out." He looked down at the big giant boys and laughed. "You guys are never gonna stop growin', I swear."

Lilly and Arthur laughed whole heartedly at the situation. "Well, if ya don't need them just now, do you mind if I borrow them for a bit?"

Mr. Pearson shrugged. "You don't need to ask. They're your brothers."

Lilly's head drooped with a slight bounce, then she looked over at him. "You found out about that, did ya?"

"Susan told me."

"Oh yeah. I did tell her that a while back. Well," Lilly stared down at the boys. "You guys wanna come help negotiate peace?"

The boys barked and joined her side. Rains Fall cleared his throat. "This way. I also have some men meeting me there." They trotted after Rains Fall. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to help. Thank you for doing this. You have already done so much."

"Ain't a problem. Just hope no one recognizes me," Arthur said. "Or my wife. We've had a few run-ins with the army recently."

Lilly chuckled at Arthur. "An bhféachann mé cosúil le béar anois?" _[Do I look like a bear now?]_

Arthur smiled at her and pointed to her belly. "Beagán." _[Slightly.]_

Lilly puckered her lips in, reached into her bag, pulled out a carrot and threw it at his head with a laugh. "Arse!"

Arthur barely managed to catch it and he took a bite. "Mmm. Thanks for the carrot, honey."

"I wish we could have done more to control the situation. Dutch should not have gotten involved," Charles commented.

"My son has a mind of his own...too much so, in fact. I just hope Colonel Favours can be reasoned with. I am not asking for very much, but when our people are sick and hungry, and we find our medicine and supplies are being deliberately withheld, how can we not view that as something personal? When they destroy our sacred sites? How can I convince Eagle Flies and the others that they shouldn't fight back?" Rains Fall said sadly.

"Maybe that's part of the reason they'e doing these things...because they want you to fight. To be able to say, look, you see how these savages behave?" Charles observed calmly.

Lilly shook her head. "I'm tellin' ya, this Colonel Favours is full of tripe."

"Perhaps," Rains Fall said. "Thank you for helping Captain Monroe to retrieve those vaccines, Lilly. He will be at the meeting and is one person who knows the true situation, at least. I still have hope that we can come to an agreement."

Lilly jerked her head. "You're welcome, but as I said, I wouldn't go in there with high expectations, sir."

They continued along the road and Charles rode up to her. "Lilly, I know this whole thing upsets you just as much as it does Eagle Flies, but I would ask you to show some...restraint while we're there," Charles said to her.

Lilly eyeballed him. "Me? Unrestrained? Where ever would you get an idea like that?" Lilly said with a sarcastic voice.

"Please?"

Lilly sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fiiine," she let out in a deep, low voice. "You're no fun."

An amused chuckle escaped Charles. "I am fun. You're the one who isn't fun any more," he said with a wink.

Lilly laughed. "What can I say? I have a husband now. I can't be fun like that any more."

Charles barked with laughter. "So you're fully retired from the flirting?"

"No. I still flirt with Arthur."

"Where's the fun in that?"

Arthur rode up beside Charles. "It's called foreplay, Charles."

The three of them cackled lightly. They continued in conversation the further they went, and occasionally Rains Fall spoke up to join in. But finally, they got close to their destination. "Here we are. There's my men up ahead," said the chief.

"Hello," one of Rains Fall's men said.

Lilly gave a nod to them. Rains Fall then said something in a language she didn't understand. "This way," Rains Fall said and Arthur came up beside her.

"Cad a dúirt sé?" he asked her. _[What did he say?]_

Lilly laughed. "Ifreann má tá a fhios agam. Ní labhraíonn mé aon Indian." _[Hell if I know. I don't speak any Indian.]_

Arthur's jaw went slack. "Seriously? All those languages and you never bothered to learn Indian?"

Lilly laughed again. "No, Arthur. There's like a hundred different native tongues. I'm an accomplished linguist, not a god. Oh wait..."

Arthur cackled. "Is bandia tú. Geallaim go bhféadfá iad go léir a fhoghlaim go héasca." _[You are a goddess. I promise that you could learn all of them easily.]_ "Tá seacht dteanga is fiche agam. Nach leor sin duitse?" _[I have twenty-seven languages. Isn't that enough for you?"]_

"Fair enough," Arthur laughed.

They hitched up their horses to posts and Lilly walked with Brian and James to the army camp with the others. Lilly saw Monroe, another officer, and a man in a blue military uniform. She assumed that was Colonel Favours. He looked like a pompous ass. They stood as the group approached but as soon as they saw the wolves they backed up, except for Monroe, of course.

"You dare to bring wild animals into my camp?!" Colonel Favours asked angrily.

Lilly shrugged. "What? They won't bite...unless I tell 'em to."

This made Arthur chuckle under his breath. Favours looked Lilly over. "They're yours?!"

"Yes."

"They're...they're..."

"Huge? Yes, I'm aware, sir. That's what everyone says when they meet 'em."

Arthur chortled and coughed. "Excuse me, sorry."

Rains Fall made a slight bow. "Colonel Favours, Captain Monroe, we come in peace," he said.

"Yes. Hello again," Favours said. "Who are these people?"

"They're, uh, friends of my people."

"Hmm. Interesting looking fellows. And the woman and her...wolves, too."

"Yeah, they won't cause any trouble."

"Well, I should hope not," Favours said, eyeballing Lilly and her brothers. "Listen, Mr., uh..."

Arthur coughed again. "Chief," Rains Fall said.

"Yes, uh, Mr...I can't...say that silly name."

Lilly's fists clenched then untightened. "In English, they call me Rains Fall."

"Yes, yes, I'm...I'm sure they do." The Colonel motioned for the chief to sit. "Listen...we're all Americans here...and, we...want an outcome, ut quite frankly...quite frankly, I-I'm confused. Your men are...little more than criminals, in my opinion." Arthur started hacking again and Lilly looked at him, but he waved her off. "Keep breaking peace treaties...we've made. Causing disturbances in everybody's lives. But...I pride myself on being a gentleman. Really, I do. But there are limits."

Lilly arched a brow. She certainly didn't think he was a gentleman, based on what he heard or how he looked. He sounded like a liar, and seemed like a snake in her opinion. Arthur coughed and wheezed again and Lilly looked him over.

"So, let me be very..." Favours stopped and glared at Arthur. "You okay, man?! Someone, Jackson, take him away. Where was I?"

"You're a gentleman with limits?" answered Monroe.

Lilly hung on to Arthur and pat his back. "An raibh bainne agat ar maidin?" she asked. _[Did you have milk this morning?"_

Arthur coughed into his arm. "No. I forgot."

"Are you being facetious, sir?" Favours asked Monroe.

Jackson approached the coughing man. "Come this way, buddy," he said.

"I said, "are you being facetious", Captain Monroe?"

Lilly watched as Arthur was taken to a tent, then she grabbed one of the milk pouches and held it out to James. "James, go with him."

James grabbed it and padded to the tent after the two men. "No, sir, I am not," Monroe replied.

"Chief Rains..."

"That's, uh, Rains Fall," the chief corrected.

"Exactly. Chief Rains, the thing is the Federal Government is not happy with the situation. Your men have been aggravating mine, stealing medicine and horses."

"Those were our horses that your men stole from us, and you have been deliberately withholding medicine and supplies from us. We cannot survive without those things. We need horses to hunt. My people are not well. They are sick and hungry," Rains Fall explained. "And your men burned one of our sacret sites and stole objects from that site."

"I do not care what you _think_ my men have done, Chief Rains. I only care about what your men are doing to mine and the men in the Federal Government."

"That's Rain Falls."

Favours scoffed. "Right. My point is your men violated the treaty. That treaty is null, and void. I have been appointed to negotiate a new treaty. That treaty will grant you new lands."

Lilly spoke up. "What?!"

They all stopped and looked at Lilly. "Lilly, don't," Charles warned her.

"What, you mean they have to move again?!" Lilly snapped. "Do you not understand what the Federal Government is doin' to his people?" she shouted, motioning to Rains Fall. "You damn well know the reason they want them moved again is because of some stupid claim to oil."

"I have no idea what you mean, madam!" Favours shouted.

"Oh, I think you do, sir." Lilly crossed her arms. "You want the oil on their land, so you've had your men provoke these poor people, goad them into fightin' back so you can have an excuse to move them again! I saw the sacred site your men burned and I have never seen anyone as heart broken as when I saw Rains Fall that day! He has signed three treaties and the Federal Government broke all of them! You stole their horses, you stole their medicine and supplies, and now you are trying to steal their land!"

"The lands they currently occupy belong to the United States Government! Why is this so confusing, madam? Why?"

"Oh, the only thing I'm confused about is how someone who prides himself on being a gentleman sanctions actions that are anything but that of a gentleman, sir!"

"Lilly," Rains Fall said to her. "It is alright." He stood up. "Good day, Colonel Favours." He turned to leave. "Lilly, walk with me."

Lilly nodded and followed Rains Fall with Brian. She crossed her arms and sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said-"

"As I said, it is alright, Lilly. I am honored that you would defend my people and I."

Lilly gaped at him. "You mean you're not mad at me?"

"Of course not. You were right. I should not have come here with high expectations. Even if you hadn't said anything, the result would have been the same."

"I'm sorry, Rains Fall, that it didn't work out." She escorted Rains Fall the rest of the way and she watched him get on his horse. "What will you do now?"

"I don't know. I have much to think on."

Lilly frowned. "I still have yet to go hunting for your deer skins, Rains Fall. Is there anything else I can get to help rebuild?"

Rains Fall leaned and pressed a hand to her shoulder with a smile on his face. "Just the deer skins are fine, thank you. And thank you for today. It has given me much to reflect on."

Rains Fall clicked his tongue and he left with the rest of his men. Her ears perked up to an argument going on. "...insubordination! Disobeying an order! Treason!" she heard Favours yell. She turned around at the spectacle.

"Are you mad?!" Monroe asked the Colonel.

"You had those vaccines stolen, you disrup-"

"Now how would I have anything to do with two men havin' an encounter with a bear? That's ludicrous!"

Favours shook his head. "The vaccines were stolen afterwards!"

"Not by me!"

"Then why was nothing else stolen?!"

"How should I know? I wasn't there!" Monroe snapped at Favours.

"Arrest this man now!" Favours said as he pointed at Monroe.

Lilly scowled at herself. She knew she should have just taken all the stuff instead of just the vaccines. Suddenly, Arthur grabbed a soldier and aimed a gun at Favours. Charles pulled his sawed off shotgun out. "Let him go," Arthur said.

Lilly pulled out her revolvers, aiming them at several men and walking over. "What the fuck did I miss?"

Monroe held up a hand. "This is all gettin' out of hand," he said to Arthur. "I-"

"Captain Monroe, let's get out of here!"

"I, uh..." Favours began to say.

"If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut, amigo."

Captain Monroe got behind Charles and the boys' showed their fangs with their fur raised. "Come on, sir, let's get you outta here," Lilly said.

"I don't wanna kill this man...but I shall!" Arthur said, backing away from the group.

Lilly clicked her tongue and her brothers came with her. "What the hell just happened?" Lilly asked Charles.

"He was about to be arrested for treason," Charles replied.

"What? Are you..." Lilly shook her head and mounted on Doc.

"Charles, Captain Monroe, mount up now. We're gettin' out of here," Arthur stated.

Lilly looked down at her brothers. "When we run, anyone gets near us, you kill 'em, got it?"

The boys barked and Lilly watched as her husband shoved the soldier away and got on Tessa. Everyone started riding off as the shooting started.

"Follow me!" Monroe shouted. They went at lightning speed away from the camp and Lilly flanked Monroe with Brian and James. Lilly pulled out her bow as army men came out of the wood works. Lilly shot one on the head with an arrow and he went flying off his horse. "I can't shoot at these men!"

"Yep, but we can!" Charles yelled.

"Look out, they're still coming! Men, please, hold your fire!"

Lilly continued shooting arrows off as Brian and James pounced on anyone brave or dumb enough to get too close to the escaping quartet. They ran through trees and trails as they tried to run away from their fate. Monroe' horse went down suddenly and Brian was quick to protect him.

"Dammit, more on the left! Head for the trees, we're penned in!" Charles belted out. Lilly got off Doc and ran to Monroe, helping him up and running with him towards the trees. "Go! Find some cover and protect Monroe!"

Lilly yanked him down behind a boulder and continued her assault on the men. "James, guard Monroe! Brian, with me!"

James hovered near Captain Monroe as Lilly and Brian joined forces. Brian went after men one by one as Lilly shot down more. Arthur and Charles continued their shooting as well. But more men kept coming. Lilly was tempted to bring out Adair, but she was hesitant in front of Monroe. "Arthur!" she shouted as she fired at another army man and shot him down. "What do we do? They keep comin'!"

Arthur shot two men and killed them. "Find a lull, then make for the valley! Just hold!" he responded with a yell.

A wagon came in carrying more of the military combatants and Lilly growled as a bullet came and got her in the shoulder. She ducked behind a tree and waited for it to heal.

"That's it!" She reloaded her revolvers from behind a tree and shook the chambers shut. She raised her guns and narrowed her eyes, her back against the tree. "Brian, time to millie up!"

Lilly got out from behind the tree, aimed and started shooting as she walked towards the wagon. Brian ran and started mowing men down as Lilly continued to shoot nonstop. Brian grabbed someone by the leg and tossed him to Lilly who then shot him in the head. Brian tackled another man and ripped his throat out. Men shot at her and him and though Brian and Lilly were hit more than once, it wasn't anywhere major and they didn't stop their assault until they found the opportunity to leave.

"It's now or never!" Charles said.

"Let's go! Captain Monroe, you're with me!" Arthur yelled.

Lilly whistled for Doc and mounted up. "James, Brian, come on!"

"Get on Captain. We sure as hell don't want to hang around here!"

Captain Monroe got on Arthur's horse Tessa and sat behind the man. They all took off and followed Charles through the woods. More military men popped up once they reached the train tracks. Lilly shot three of them down easily. But then no more showed up and Lilly sighed in relief.

"I think we're finally in the clear. Everybody okay?" Arthur asked everyone.

"Not really," Monroe said glumly. "What do we do now?"

"You get out of here...fast. We'll take you to the station."

"I can't believe that just happened. I been an army man my whole life."

"I heard them talkin'. They was gonna have you hanged for treason. You can't die for those fools."

Lilly saw the station up ahead. "And what about the chief?" Monroe asked Arthur.

Arthur took a moment of pause before speaking. "We'll do what we can."

"I..." Monroe sighed. "...guess I won't be submitting my report."

"I wouldn't think so." As they stopped at the station, Arthur started coughing again. They dismounted, walked up the steps, and neared the train as Arthur continued to wheeze and cough. "Get out of here, Captain Monroe."

"I fear it may be Mr. Monroe from now on," Monroe stated with a said chuckle.

"I'm sorry about your career. Here," Arthur reached into his bag amd held out money. "Here's some money. You take it and get out of here, and start a new life somewhere." Monroe took the money and they shook hands before Monroe climbed up the train steps. "I hear Tahiti's nice."

"Thank you."

"Just hop on a train to Saint Denis, jump on a boat...but avoid Guarma."

Lilly wheezed out a laugh and Monroe looked at Arthur strangely. "Where?"

"Forget about it."

Monroe gave a lazy salute and walked into the car. Lilly walked in after him and made sure he found a seat. "Mr. M, sir..." she said.

He looked at her as he sat down. "Yes?"

Lilly approached him and handed him money. "There...in case you need more for your trip, or if you wanna start a...I dunno, a mango farm or somethin'."

Monroe laughed sadly. "Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. I..." he looked out the window at Arthur then back at her. "I am lucky to have met you both. Truly."

Lilly smiled and shook his hand. "As are we. You take care now, sir."

Lilly walked to the opposite end of the car and got off to see Sister Calderón helping her coughing husband to a seat. She got back on and hid. She had a vision about this conversation and she didn't want to interrupt.

"What's wrong?" she asked Arthur as they sat down.

"I'm, uh...I'm dyin', Sister."

"Yes, your wife spoke of that when I last saw her. She was quite meloncholy about the whole thing."

"Yeah, I got TB," Arthur said as he wiped his mouth. "I got it...beatin' a man...to death...for a few bucks." Arthur coughed between his words and grunted between his words. He sighed and chuckled hopelessly. "I've lived a bad life, Sister."

"We've all lived bad lives, Mr. Morgan. We all sin, but I know you."

"You don't know me."

"Forgive me, but...that's the problem. You don't know you."

Lilly stifled a giggle. Sister Calderón wasn't wrong. "What you mean?" Arthur asked the nun.

"I don't know, but...you and your wife, whenever we happen to meet, you both always help people and smile."

"Ah," Arthur said with a light groan. "I had a son. He passed away. I had a girl who loved me, but I threw that away. My momma died when I was a kid, and my daddy...well, I watched him die, and it weren't soon enough. Now I got me a wife and two children on the way, but now I'm dyin'. We ain't even been married a whole year."

"Hmm. My husband died a long time ago. Life is full of pain, but there is also love and beauty."

"Ah, what am I gonna do now? What is Lilly gonna do now? What about my kids? I..." Arthur dropped his head. "My wife, she has me on treatments right now, and we...we met someone who claimed they could heal me but we haven't seen her in a while now and...I guess I..." he looked at Sister Calderón with a sad look and tears in his eyes. "I'm afraid."

"Of dying? Or what happens after?"

"Of dyin'. Of...of leavin' my wife. I'm afraid of what will happen to her and the kids once I'm gone. When we found out, she was devastated."

Lilly covered her mouth and wiped her eyes, not realizing tears had been falling from her eyes until then. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Mr. Morgan. Take a gamble that Mrs. Morgan has everything covered."

Arthur laughed. "Oh, she will. No doubt about it, but...like I said, she was devastated. I can more than imagine how devastated she will be when I'm gone."

"She is a strong woman. She will get by. But don't worry about what will happen in the future. As I told her, take the time you have left and cherish it."

"All aboard!" the conductor yelled.

Lilly wiped her eyes and got off the train at the opposite end just as Arthur was helping Sister Calderón on the train with her bag. The train started moving and Sister Calderón said her goodbyes. Lilly looked at her husband and sighed. She hadn't known he was that worried about her and the kids, or worried that he wouldn't be healed. It wouldn't come to that, though. Lilly was not going to allow it. She neared her husband and kissed him softly. He smiled at her.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Just because. Can't a wife kiss her husband when she wants to?" she asked him, innocence coating her tone.

Arthur smiled more brightly and wrapped his arms around her. "Tá grá agam duit." _[I love you.]_

"And I love you, Arthur Morgan.


	68. The Madness

Arthur and Lilly, after leaving the train station, decided to go see Micah next just outside of Van Horn. They both wanted to keep a close eye on him now that he was the number one rat suspect. By the time they got there, it was late in the afternoon. The wolves trailed in behind them.

"Ah, there they are. Old black lung Morgan, the ginger, and her two giant freaks of nature," Micah said, sitting on the steps of an old house's porch. Bill was near him sitting on a box. Brian and James growled at Micah a little.

"Shut up," Arthur said spitefully.

"Was you followed?"

"Excuse me?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

Lilly sighed. "Here we go," she said with a shake of her bowed head and hands on her hips.

"Was...you followed?" Micah asked again, but slower.

"Do you know who you're talkin' to?!" Arthur snapped angrily at Micah.

Micah stood up. "I ain't sure. I ain't sure about much no more. All I know is there's law whenever you're around."

Lilly clenched her fists. The fucking nerve of this guy, but Lilly kept herself silent...for now. "Oh, is that so?" Arthur asked Micah. "Because it seems to me," Arthur pointed a finger at Micah, "that since you been ridin' with us, there ain't been nothin' but trouble!" Arthur growled. "Stirrin' things up all the time, gettin' in Dutch's ear. Seems wherever you is, there's Pinkertons, and vice versa! So you," Arthur pointed again, "better watch your god damn mouth, boy!" Arthur started coughing into a fit.

Micah began to laugh. "Take it easy, cowboy," Micah said as he walked away from Arthur a bit. "You're gonna do yourself a mischief way you're headin'."

"Micah, shut it!" Bill snapped. Lilly scowled again, wanting to help Arthur but she wasn't about to emasculate or nanny him in front of the men. Instead, Lilly went and shoved Micah from behind, sending him flying and sprawling into the dirt. Bill cackled at the spectacle and pointed at Micah. "Ha! Micah got pushed around by a girl," Bill wheezed out with a giggle, bending over and holding his stomach.

Micah got up, brushed his clothes off and spit out dirt. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Fer insinuatin' that me husband is in bed with the law, ya feckin' gobshite! Now stop stirrin' the pot or I'll fuckin' snap ya like a twig!" Lilly threatened furiously.

"He started it!"

"Oh, he started it," Lilly mockingly repeated in Micah's voice. "Yer the one who started it by bein' yerself, ya motherless twat!"

Arthur recovered from his coughing bout and started chuckling. "Micah, I would warn you to not make my wife mad, but...honestly, I hope you do just so I can watch her kick your ass."

Lilly crossed her arms. "What are we doin' here, Micah?"

Micah spit out more dirt and growled. "Dutch says we is to go on with plans to create a diversion. We gotta get some explosions to blow up the bridge. Keep the army out of here for a few days."

"I think it's a real bad idea," Arthur said, leaning against the porch post weakly.

"I don't think Dutch cares too much what you think."

"That's clear."

Lilly frowned. Yep, Micah had to be the rat, but he wasn't anything like the Lord. What the hell did Hawk Eye mean by it? It had to be symbolic for sure. Lilly was going to drive herself mad if she kept dwelling on the matter.

"We gotta confuse them one last time, then he and I will head to Blackwater, collect the money, and help everyone leave. He's got-"

Lilly interjected. "Woa woa woa, wait a minute. How the fuck did you get him to think goin' back there was a good idea?"

Micah shrugged. "What can I say? I'm persuasive when I'm right."

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other with concerned expressions. "Chaill sé a intinn." _[_ _He's lost his mind._ _]_

"Gan dabht," Arthur replied. _[_ _Without a doubt._ _]_

"Nílim muiníneach sa phlean seo." _[_ _I am not confident in this plan._ _]_

"Hey! English, please!" Micah barked. "This is America and we speak English here!"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up, ya stupid bigot!"

Micah got in her face. "What did you just say to me?"

The boys snapped and snarled beside her and Micah jumped back a little.

Lilly crossed her arms and glared at him. "I called ya a stupid bigot, now ya better back up before I knock ya on yer ass again, Micah!"

Micah backed up more and laughed. "Come and get it then, Mick. I love me a feisty girl!"

Lilly charged at him but Arthur grabbed her. "Easy, mo stór, he ain't worth it."

Lilly sneered at her husband. "What do you mean he ain't worth it? Is francach é!" _[_ _He's a rat!_ _]_

"Níl a fhios againn sin. Teastaíonn cruthúnas uainn. Ní mór dúinn ár gcuid ama a ghlacadh leis seo." _[We don't know that. We need proof. We need to take our time with this.]_ Arthur turned his back to Micah. "Blackwater's a fool's errand, everyone knows it. Even a greedy moron like you," he said.

"It's Dutch's choice, Arthur. You're just a senior gun, same as the rest of us. Only you ain't well," Micah mocked.

Arthur twisted around. "I'm fine!" he snapped at Micah.

"Then you'll do Dutch's biddin', which is robbin' a stagecoach that's comin' from Annesburg full of explosives."

As Micah talked, he made motions with his hands and body that reminded Lilly of rats and snakes. "Rob a stage, he says. Like that fuckin' stage job up near Strawberry you had us go on?!" Lilly shouted.

"It weren't my fault that O'Driscoll's showed up," said Micah.

"Oh really? You think since an O'Driscoll told you that they'd been hittin' it on the regular, that they wouldn't show up?!"

Arthur looked at Lilly, then back at Micah. "When was this?"

"After I sprung him outta jail," Lilly said.

"Well, even so, I ain't goin' on this one. It's you three. I got my own plannin' to do. You guys got this," Micah explained.

Bill got up and walked off the porch. "Shit, guess we have. Come on, Arthur and Lilly."

"And cowpoke, take it easy," Micah said as he lazed on the porch. "You could do with a vacation."

Lilly, Arthur, and the boys followed Bill to the horses. Lilly eyeballed Micah. What kind of planning did this rat bastard have to do? Lilly saddled up and trailed after the men. When they were out of sight from Micah, Lilly rode up closer to Arthur.

"Hey, do you think you two got this?" she whispered to her husband.

"Yes, why?" Arthur replied.

"Da's in Saint Denis. I think I should go down there and have a chat with him."

Arthur nodded. "Okay. Just be careful, darlin'."

"I will. You wanna keep one of the boys with you?"

"Sure."

Lilly kissed Arthur's hand softly. "Bye bye, now." Lilly ordered James to stay and took off with Brian.

* * *

Lilly arrived in Saint Denis and headed for Doyle's Tavern. She had Brian waiting outside Saint Denis so as not to attract attention. She was just outside the tavern when she heard Dutch talking to someone."

"...lookin' like a lady won't helpnus if you're not gonma act like one," Dutch said.

"Don't you worry about me!" Sadie snapped as Lilly walked in.

"There you are," Dutch said, turning around with a grin and a cigar in his hand. "Lilly, where's Arthur?"

"He's helpin' Bill and Micah with somethin'." Lilly leaned against the counter. "Hi Sadie."

"Hey there, Lilly. What's goin' on?"

"I uh...you mind if I speak with Dutch for a moment?"

"Sure."

Sadie went to the back of the tavern and Lilly looked at Dutch with a grave expression. "Da, we need to talk."

Dutch puffed from his cigar. "Can't it wait?"

"No," Lilly said with a serious look on her face. "Micah's the rat."

Dutch almost choked on the smoke of his cigar. "What? How do you know?"

"Because I do, Da. But he ain't the only one we gotta worry about. I believe he is also bein' manipulated by the snake."

"I thought Arthur said they was the same person?" Dutch asked with an arch of an eyebrow.

"I misinterpreted."

"You misinterpreted," Dutch said calmly. "What makes you think you're right about Micah, then?"

Lilly sighed and scratched the back of her head. "Look, Da, I...I don't have proof yet but I will. Just...please, stop bein' so confident in Micah's "loyalty" for now, okay? I mean, he's got you convinced that goin' back to Blackwater is a good idea. What in the Sam hell did he say to make that sound remotely smart?"

"We need money."

Lilly sighed. "Yes, we do, but goin' back to Blackwater? You'll both get killed or caught!"

Dutch put a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but we got a plan. Trust me."

Lilly shook her head. "And what does Athair say about all this?"

"Same thing. It's a bad idea, we shouldn't be doin' this, we should try for a score instead...but all we got right now is a diversion and a plan. Now, unless you have a better plan, we're doin' Micah's plan."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "Micah's the lead on this?! Are you daft, man?!"

"Shh! Keep it down," Dutch hissed. "Look, can we talk about this later? I want to go see Colm O'Driscoll hang."

Lilly nodded. "Alright, fine."

Dutch grabbed two parcels and walked with Lilly to the back of the tavern. Sadie and Lilly were brought to a room and shoved in with the parcels. Lilly was confused as to what was happening but just went with it as she opened the parcel. "As ucht Dé," she uttered in disbelief.

Sadie finished dressing into a yellow dress and hat and Lilly was wearing the exact same thing except her dress and hat was a dark blue. It matched her eyes. They exited the room and Lilly sighed, thankful that she didn't have to wear a corset.

"Da, how do you even know my size?" she asked him.

"Arthur told me," he replied.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "As ucht Dé...so why am I dressed up like a peacock?"

"Well, despite us bein' wanted men, we're gonna attend the event ourselves."

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "As ucht Dé. Da..." she scoffed in confusion. "What's the point? He's gonna escape as usual."

"Well, let's hope not, but if I could see that son of a bitch breathe his last, I think I'd die a happy man. We are gonma disguise ourselves." Dutch pulled out an officer's uniform.

Lilly chuckled. "Why can't I be the officer and you be the lady?"

Dutch laughed and clapped her shoulder. "Well, I would make a pretty lady, I guess." Lilly and Sadie laughed as the three gang members exited the bar from the back. "Come on.

Lilly shook her head and sighed. "Mrs. Adler, I must say, you look beautiful."

"Thanks. I'd dress up like the Queen of Sheba if it meant seeing that son of a bitch swing," Adler replied.

"Colm had Arthur kidnapped and shot, then he had Kieran's eyes taken out and nearly killed him. I was...well, I used to look forward to feedin' Colm to my wolves, but now? I think a decent swinging will do."

"He made it out of that predicament, as I remember Mrs. Morgan. My husband weren't so lucky."

"You lost your husband. I lost my darrling, Annebelle, and Kieran lost his eyes. That poor boy, Kieran. We've all lost somethin' because of Colm."

Sadie looked behind at Lilly. "What did you lose?"

Lilly sighed. "Annebelle. She was kinda like a mother to me, in a way, though I only knew her for a couple of years. Colm murdered her when I was nine."

"And that is why we will shepherd him to eternity," Dutch snarled.

"Amen to that," Sadie agreed.

"Now keep those fingers off those triggers 'cause we'll need cool heads and calm dispositions to see this done."

"You're one to talk, Da," Lilly said with a disappointed scoff.

"Whatever do you mean?" Dutch asked her with a bitter tone.

"Are you gonna keep a calm disposition? Really? Because you been losin' your composure a lot lately."

"What is it with you and Arthur? This doubting amd questioning of yours...I miss the old Arthur and I miss the old Lilly."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Don't we all."

"You two, quit it," Sadie interrupted. "We all got a job to do, and we're all in rough agreement about how we're doin' it...as far as I can tell."

"Exactly," Dutch agreed gruffly.

"We'll get it done...even though I ain't too sure on how we're doin' it," Lilly explained with little confidence.

"You'll see. Come on, we got a hangin' to witness," Sadie said calmly.

They were now in sight of the gallows and Dutch seemed to go up in his spirits. "Look here. Don't the public love an execution," he said almost giddily.

They made their way along the sidewalk next to the gallows and stopped at the brick arched entrance. "Alright, good, now...you see that," Dutch backed up a bit so Lilly could see, "pair of assholes?"

Lilly spotted two men casually shoving each other. "Uh huh."

"They're Colm's boys."

"Uh huh, and?"

"What a surprise. I'm glad we're here." Dutch noticed the boys were pointing at something, as did Lilly. "What are they pointin' at?"

"Hmm," Lilly hummed curiously. "I should follow and find out."

"Yep. Oh, here comes somebody."

As one of Dutch's boys passed then by, Dutch looked at Sadie. "Stay here."

"Da, I got this," Lilly said. "You both just stay and enjoy the show."

"You sure?" Dutch asked with a smile.

Lilly grunted. "I may be pregnant and in a dress, but I can still hold my own."

Dutch nodded. "Alright, get goin', then."

Lilly gave a lazy salute and crossed the street to follow the O'Driscoll man. She was led toward the Galerie Laurent and Lilly smiled. Ah, fond memories. And how exciting since that's exactly where the man turned. Lilly snuck in quietly under the archway and saw the man talking with another and she hid behind the wall.

"What's it look like?" one man asked.

"A bunch of cops," said another.

"How many?"

"Enough...so what do you think?"

"Paul's up on the roof, and once he starts shootin', we have to have our wits about us and move fast."

"Yeah, I guess we faced worse than this before."

"Sure."

"Let's do it."

"Yeah."

Lilly sighed as she heard them walk away. They had a guy on the roof with a gun watching the gallows. Great. Lilly looked around in the area to try and find a way onto the rooftops. Lilly saw a ladder and ran over to it. She started climbing and instantly regretted wearing a damn dress. She got on the veranda and opened a door, then found some stairs and walked up them to a hallway. She saw an open window and peeked out, seeing a roof. She snuck out quickly and walked along it. Thank the Lord she had her regular boots on and not some high heeled bullshit boots. She jumped to another roof and saw the gallows not too far away. Good. She was heading in the right direction. She snuck quietly along the next roof and looked down. There was a sharpshooter by the edge and a man opened a door beneath her to walk over. She pulled out a throwing knife and threw it at the man. It went into his neck and he groaned as he yanked it out. Lilly jumped down, pulled out another knife, and sliced his throat open.

"Well, sorry there, Paul," she remarked, retrieving her weapon from the body. She walked over to the rifle and smiled. She grabbed it and watched as the show began with a bell ringing and a man talking.

"Fair citizens of Saint Denis. For as long as any of us can remember, it is justice and separates us from barbarity. Yet justice itself can at times be barbaric. For sometimes a man is so savage, the only way to deal with him justly is by savagery."

Lilly snorted. "Ain't that the fucking truth..."

"Colm O'Driscoll one such man." Lilly saw some men bringing Colm up to the noose and put it around his neck, then she crouched down with the rifle. "He has murdered, tortured, robbed, stolen, raped, and abused for a decade across five states. Seemingly with impunity." Lilly looked through the scope at Colm. "Today, justice catches up with him."

Lilly watched him laugh. "As well you may," she heard him say. "I've been a bad man."

"Silence!"

"These charges," Colm started to say but then was gagged.

"This is not a court where you shall be tried. This is a place where your sentence is to be carried out, and your sentence Colm O'Driscoll is that you are to be hanged by the neck until you are dead. This is not a task we take lightly..."

The man continued talking as Lilly saw Colm look up at her. She gave him a little wave with her hat and smiled at his frightened face through the scope. A lawman pulled a lever and Colm dropped. Lilly saw Dutch and Sadie holding onto the other O'Driscoll's and she sighed, looking back at the strangling Colm. Suddenly she saw Sadie going nuts and shooting the O'Driscolls.

"Oh what the fuck, Sadie!" she snapped.

"Morgan, you hear us?!" Dutch shouted as the crowd dispersed and he went running with Sadie. "Take a shot on these O'Driscolls!"

Lilly started shooting at O'Driscolls with the sharpshooter. She missed a few times but her bullets hit home moreso than not. Arthur was better fit for this sniping business than she was. But, oh well, she still did fairly well as she saw Sadie and Dutch running for a wagon. Dutch waved her off to go and she went running to go get changed back into her regular clothes.

* * *

Lilly arrived back at camp with Brian and Tilly approached her. "How you get on, Lilly?" she asked the Irish woman.

"Well," Lilly dismounted and sighed, "bastard definitely got hung, but good God Sadie went nuts!" Lilly laughed.

Tilly held her hands together. "I guess that's one less thing to worry about."

"Maybe, with everyone elses on our coat tails, sure." Lilly looked around. "You seen Arthur around?"

"No, I haven't. Sorry."

Lilly frowned. "Ah, well, he's probably busy, out and about, doin' stuff. But he missed a pretty good hangin'."

* * *

Arthur and John jumped off the train cart just as the train hit it. Both the men breathed harshly as they got up. "Thank you," John breathed out as they watch the train disappear.

"No problem," Arthur groaned out.

John sighed. "That just ain't how I wanna die. Come on, let's go blow this thing up." John and Arthur walked to the dynamite detonator. Arthur and Bill had acquired dynamite earlier that day from the coach robbery they did in Annesburg. Other than the law showing up right after and Micah bossing them around like he was Dutch, Arthur thought it was a good job. "Um, I think the line held. You want the honors?"

"Sure," Arthur said, putting his hands on the detonator and pushing the plug down.

The bridge suddenly blew up and John went "whoo!"

"Wel, I guess old Dutch got all the smoke he wants," Arthur observed with a pun as smoke rose from the broken bridge.

"Well let's hope so!" John laughed.

"You really think," Arthur pointed at the bridge, "that'll draw attention away from us?" he asked John.

"I guess we'll see," John replied as they turned to one another. "Tell the truth," he continued as they walked, "I ain't even sure I fully understand Dutch's plan with all this."

"Like I said, John, when the time comes, you go."

"But what about loyalty to...to everything?"

"You been loyal. I been loyal. Look what that caused. You know, for the longest time, all that ever mattered to me was loyalty. It was all I knew. It was all I ever believed in, but not anymore, John. Now, I believe in Lilly and my unborn children. And soon...you gotta go. Go, and don't look back."

"I'll think about it," John said, walking away from the horses to the driver's sear of the wagon."

"I done a lot of thinkin'. Look at us," Arthur said, leaning a hand on one of the wagon horses, "out here riskin' our necks and for what exactly?"

"For a-"

"An idea that don't work no more.

John leaned forward with a confused look. "How you mean?"

"You know just what I mean. You got a family. I got a family. You need cash, you need to start buildin' a life for yourself. And Lilly needs to get back to Ireland and raise our children. Me? I..." Arthur kicked the dirt. "I ain't gonna make it to Ireland, I see that now. I'm dyin', John, and ain't nothin' gonna change it. Not The Morrigan, not the treatments, not nobody." Arthur sighed. He hated the fact that he would never see his children born, never help raise them, never give Lilly any more children...it was killing him, but that was the way it was. "And Dutch has all the money. For safekeepin'."

John looked torn between two different things, then he turned to Arthur. "You know something...Abigail thinks she might know where some of that money is."

Arthur nodded. "Well you tell her she better make sure, and then come talk to me, and we'll find out just who and what we should be loyal to."

John groaned breathlessly. "I-I don't know, Arthur."

"Nor do I. But I'm seein' things a lot more clearly now. I wish things were different," Arthur pointed at John, "but it weren't us who changed."

John gradually nodded, as did Arthur. John flicked the reins and the horses went walking. Arthur watched John leave and sighed heavily before coughing and wheezing a little. He hawked up bloody phlegm into his hand as he sat down on a barrel and wiped the spittle on his jacket. He sat there for a few moments to calm his lungs and breathe deeply. He started to contemplate his whole life, but the part that stood out the most was his precious Lilly. Her smile, her laugh, oh how he was going to miss that laugh once he was dead.

* * *

Arthur arrived back at camp near night time and saw Lilly by the fire with a bucket of goat's milk. James had found his own way back and was playing with Brian and Jack. Arthur walked over to Lilly and sighed, clasping his gun belt. "How you doin', sugar?" he asked Lilly.

Lilly turned her head back and laughed. "Sugar, huh?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Morgan!" Mr. Pearson said to Arthur, walking over with a bottle of navy rum in his hand. "Mr. Morgan, it's all over..." he sighed heavily. "It's over."

Arthur blinked. "Erm, perhaps not, Mr. Pearson."

"What a mess we've made of everything. What a saaaaaad mess." Mr. Pearson started breathing sporadically. "Still, I've got a friend right here! Mmhmm! And I got plenty more!" Mr. Pearson wheezed out a laugh. "Ooooooh, Stormy, he is dead and gone, to me way. Hay, Stormalong John. Old Stormy, he is dead and gone. Ah ha! Come along, get along," Mr. Pearson sang as he laid down by his cart. "Stooormalong..." and Mr. Pearson passed out.

Bill suddenly confronted Lilly. "So who do you think the rat is?!"

Lilly got up. "What? I don't know, Bill."

"Well someone's talkin' to somebody! They has to be. And you're the one with the visions! How can you not know?! I think it's Marston."

"Oh, hogwash!" Lilly said with a wave of her hand. People started gathering around Lilly.

"Yeah, how come you don't know who the rat is?" Javier asked.

"I don't know why," Lilly said with a shrug. "I wish I knew, but it...the vision thing is complicated."

"Oh is it?! Really?" Javier said. "Or maybe you do know and you don't want to tell us." Javier got closer. "Maybe it's you."

Lilly blinked a few times, looked at a dumbfounded Arthur, then started laughing. "Are you feckin' serious? Me?! Who the hell even told ya there was yet another rat?"

"Dutch said so," Bill said. "He told all of us."

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, okay then. But Bill, I ain't the rat and neither is Marston."

"Mark my words," Bill said before walking away.

People started closing in on Lilly. "Can't you find out?" Mary-Beth asked.

Lilly groaned. "Oh Mary-Beth, not you too. Look, I'll try and find out. I need an oak tree." Lilly looked around and spotted one by Marston's tent. "Ah, there we go."

Lilly walked over to it and people followed. "Why do you need an oak tree?" Tilly asked.

Lilly placed a palm on it. "I get visions from oak trees, too."

The crowd "ooohed" and Lilly placed her other palm on it, shutting her eyes. But nothing happened. Lilly blinked. "What the fuck? Why isn't it workin'?" Lilly tried again but still, nothing happened. "What the bloody fuckin' hell?!"

Arthur approached her. "Didn't you say somethin' about dark magic in Tír na nÓg?" he whispered.

"What's that?" Javier asked. "What's Tír na nÓg?"

Lilly sighed and saw Dutch walking over. "Da! What the fuck! Why did you say there was another rat?"

"Because there is one, and I'd like to know who it is."

Micah walked up behind Dutch and put a hand on his shoulder. "Good thinkin', boss."

Lilly tilted her head to the side. "You know what? Fine. I have a good idea who it might very well be."

Arthur grabbed her arm. "Ná taispeáin do lámh go fóill," he warned her. _[Don't show your hand yet.]_

"Cain! Cain! Where are you?!" Jack yelled into the cave.

"Hey kid!" Micah shouted. "The dog is gone. You can be quiet now!"

"He'll...he'll come back!" Jack stammered. "Cain! Cain!"

Micah sighed. "Come here, come here Jack," Micah said with a motioning of his finger. Jack obeyed. "The dog ain't comin' back...now get lost!"

Jack went running and Micah started laughing. Arthur walked to Micah. "What the hell did you do to that dog?" Arthur accused Micah.

Micah shrugged casually. "Must've run away. Dumb mutt."

"You bastard. You had somethin' to do with it, didn't ya?!" Arthur snapped.

Micah laughed loudly. "I have no idea what you mean, Black Lung."

"Lilly, who do you think the rat is?!" John yelled. "Bill seems to think it's me! Go on, tell him it ain't me!"

Bill got in John's face. "The hell it ain't you! It's gotta be you!"

Hosea tried to get in the middle of their argument. "Bill, stop bein' a drunk idiot and makin' accusations that have no standing!"

Lilly looked around and everyone was starting to yell at each other. Karen was fighting with Sean, Bill with John and Hosea, Arthur with Micah and Dutch, Abigail, Tilly and Mary-Beth with Grimshaw, Pearson with Sadie, Charles with Javier...Lilly could no longer keep track but the only person not fighting was Jack and he ran to Lilly with tears in his eyes.

"Aunt Lilly! What's happening?!" he cried.

Lilly picked him up and comforted him. "I don't know, sweetheart." What kind of madness had overrun the camp?


	69. Change

"I swear, if you had anythin' to do with the dog's disappearance, I'll kill ya!" Arthur snapped as he pointed at Micah.

"Woa ho ho!" Micah laughed. "I had nothin' to do with it. Besides, you can't kill me! I'm a brother!"

"You ain't my brother!" Arthur yelled.

"Jack?" Abigail yelled. "Jack, where are you?"

Arthur looked around and saw John and Abigail looking for Jack. Arthur sighed, realizing Lilly was gone too. "Abigail, I think Lilly probably took him."

* * *

Lilly and Jack sat down on the riverbank not too far from camp. Brian and James were running and playing in the river, so Lilly and Jack joined in. They chased after the boys and splashed them in the water and at one point, Lilly was gave Jack a piggy back ride as she ran after Brian and James. They barked and howled in the play, dodging and jumping around as Lilly followed them around.

"Jack!" Lilly heard Abigail yell from the riverbank.

Jack slid off Lilly and ran to his mother happily. "Momma! Are you all done fighting now?"

Abigail picked him up and kissed his cheek. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm sorry. We're all sorry."

"It's okay. Aunt Lilly and I were having fun with Brian and James."

Abigail laughed as Lilly walked over to them. "Sorry, Abigail. The boy got scared and, well..."

"It's fine. I'm just glad he's okay."

Lilly ruffled Jack's wet hair and giggled. "He's a tough kid. Gettin' big, too. Almost broke my back havin' you ridin' on it, buddy. You're gonna grow up and be so big!"

Jack laughed. "Aunt Lilly, you're silly."

Arthur came walking down the trail and looked relieved. "There you are, my wife," he said. "I was lookin' for you."

Lilly sighed in submission with a throwing of her hands as Abigail took Jack back up the trail to camp. "What the hell happened up there?" she asked him.

"I don't know," Arthur replied with a grin expression. "It's over now, at least. Come on, let's get you changed into some dry clothes."

Lilly suddenly gave her husband a smirk and backed up into the river. "Oh, I don't know about that, Arthur. I like stayin' wet," she cooed.

A wheezy laugh escaped from Arthur's lungs. "You saucy tiger..." He walked down to the river bank and held out a hand to her. "But seriously, co-"

Lilly dragged him into the water and pushed him over with a laugh. "That's for Horseshoe Overlook!"

Arthur resurfaced and shook his head with a laugh, wiping his mouth and blowing through his nose. "Okay, I guess I deserved that."

Lilly giggled and helped him up. Arthur grabbed her hair and pulled her in for a kiss. Lilly touched his jaw with her fingertips as she mirrored her husband's kissing. Their lips stayed locked on for some time as they stood in the river together, then they parted and walked out. "So, what now?" Lilly asked him.

Arthur coughed a little. "I need to go meet up with Eagle Flies and Dutch. You comin'?"

"Of course."

"Let's go get changed, then."

* * *

"Da, are you...have ya..." Lilly scoffed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ya really think this will make the army leave 'em alone?" Lilly asked Dutch.

"Yes. We're just gonna trap a few of them in the valley," Dutch wandered over to the wagon full of dynamite, "disarm them, tar and feather them, and remind them to leave," Dutch reached in for a box of dynamite, "these boys alone."

"You have energy for pranks?!" Arthur snapped at him.

"Come on, you two," Dutch said, walking away towards the decline of the hill. Lilly and Arthur followed. "It's just tweakin' Uncle Sam's nose a little. I need you to help me. Lilly, you stay. I need a word with your husband."

Lilly sighed and watched as the two descended down the hill. Lilly turned back towards the Indian men and sighed. "You need help with anything up here?"

Eagle Flies looked at her. "No, but thank you." He looked around then back at her. "No Brian and James today?"

Lilly chuckled as she sat on the cliff edge. "No, they're at home today playing with my nephew."

Eagle Flies went and sat next to her. "I see." He looked down at Dutch and Arthur. "We don't have a lot of time! The patrol should be coming in a few minutes!" he yelled down at the two men. He looked back at Lilly. "So, how do you like the view?"

Lilly made a look of being impressed and inclined her head. "The view is pretty damn good, I gotta say." She looked down at her husband and waved. He waved back at her.

"I hear your husband is sick," Eagle Flies commented. "I'm very sorry."

"Yes, but I have him on treatments and...a old friend of mine promised that she'd heal him. She has her ways."

"Well, I hope she follows through."

"Me too." Lilly dangled her legs back and forth and Eagle Flies stared at her strangely. It made her laugh. "What?"

"Why do you do that with your legs?"

Lilly shrugged. "Why not? You never just..." she kicked her legs about lazily.

Eagle Flies shook his head. "No."

Lilly giggled. "Try it."

Eagle Flies untucked his legs and hung them over the cliff. He started kicking them about softly and blinked. "What is the point of this?"

"No point, really. Just means you're relaxed."

"Then I must be doing it wrong."

Lilly laughed at him. "Oh, ya need to lighten up, man."

Eagle Flies chuckled and looked down below. "I am lightened up. We're gonna tar and feather a patrol," he said softly before yelling down below. "I think that should do it! Come on now, quick, get back up here!"

Lilly watched Arthur and Dutch run back towards the hill and she stood, arming herself with her repeater. She cocked it and crouched with the others. "Hurry, I think I see some movement in the distance," someone said.

"Quick now, Arthur. Everyone into position," said Eagle Flies. Lilly looked out over the road but couldn't see anyone coming. She pulled up her red bandana. "My spotter will let us know when they're near."

"They're coming now. Oh, damn! The patrol is a lot larger than we thought it was gonna be.

Dutch chuckled happily. "Don't worry, that's a good thing," he said.

Lilly gaped at him. This was not a good idea at all. "Seriously?"

"Okay, that's the signal. Here they come. Stay low and quiet," Eagle Flies said.

"You sure you don't want me to man that plunger, Arthur?" Dutch asked him.

"No, I got it," Arthur barked resentfully.

"Oh, remove the weight of the world from your shoulders for a minute. Like I said, we're just goin' to give them a bit of a scare," Dutch assured.

"There they are. Looks like more than we thought," Eagle Flies observed.

"It's fine, we're only here to talk...and administer a little good old-fashioned humiliation. You're owed that, son, at the very least."

"Wait for my lead, men."

"Everyone just stay calm. We got the upper hand here."

Lilly frowned. "Tá sé seo amaideach," she hissed to Arthur. _[This is silly.]_

"Tá a fhios agam," Arthur replied begrudgingly. _[I know.]_

Lilly watched as they past the first dynanite charge. "Okay, they passed the first charge," Dutch said.

Arthur pulled the plunger and the army patrol was surrounded by explosions and trees falling. Their horses bayed and jumped up on hind legs. The Indians stood and aimed their guns amd bows down into the small canyon.

"Put your hands up! You're surrounded! Nobody need get hurt! Your humiliation of us has gone on quite enough!" Eagle Flies spoke down to the men.

"This ain't a good idea!" one of them yelled.

"Níl aon amhras orm faoi sin," Lilly muttered to herself. _[I have no doubt about that.]_

"Put down your guns," Eagle Flies continued.

"You are makin' a mistake, boy!" a man shouted up at him.

Ditch walked to the edge. "No, you're makin' a mistake." Dutch aimed his gun. "Put your hands up, soldier, take a little humiliation and leave these fine folks alone."

"Who are you?"

"A concerned citizen."

"Is that so?"

"They're bein' ambushed!" Lilly heard someone shout in the distance. She looked over amd saw another patrol headed their way.

"What now?" Eagle Flies asked Dutch.

"We gotta go!" she yelled at Dutch.

"We should move," Arthur reiterated.

Dutch held up a hand. "No, no, no, no, not quite yet."

"Get ready to fire!" a soldier off in the distance yelked.

"Soldier, you and your friends gonna tuck tail and run off? Run!"

"Excuse me?" one of the cornered soldiers said.

"I'm gettin' bored of this." Suddenly they were shot at and they all ducked slightly. "Your friends fired first, soldier!" And Dutch fired his gun at the soldiers.

Lilly groaned and returned fire as they were being shot at. The rest followed along. "My father won't be happy about this," said Eagle Flies.

"They fired first, son!"

They shot down the first patrol quickly. "There' another patrol at the rear."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "As ucht Dé..." _[For chrisssakes...]_ "Should I have Adair handle the rest?"

"Sure!" Dutch said.

Lilly backed up and shut her eyes as she let Adair take over. Red wings spread out, she ran towards the edge and dove off, her wings flapping to keep her from landing harshly on the ground.

* * *

Arthur sighed as he continued shooting. He hated that Lilly and Adair exposed themselves so freely. "Who is that?!" Eagle Flies asked as he looked around. "Is that Lilly?!"

"No, that's Adair. The other part of my wife," Arthur explained.

Eagle Flies chuckled and resumed firing. "Two souls, indeed!"

* * *

Adair landed gracefully and picked up a fallen tree trunk. She swung it around and knocked most of the patrol with it. Most went flying while others were smooshed down into the ground. Adair dropped it, walked to a man trying to reload his gun, grabbed him, amd flew up into the air. When she was high enough she dropped him and he screamed as he plummeted down. Adair flew back down and knocked into some men with her feet. She stood and admired her handiwork before breaking someone's neck. She kicked another into a tree, then picked someone up by their neck and smashed them into the earth.

 _"Nice job with the tree trunk,"_ Lilly complimented.

"Thank you," Adair replied. Adair stood upright and admired her handiwork. She waved at everyone as they came running down the hill. She gave her wings a flap and stretched. "That was truly satisfying."

Arthur marched over to Adair with anger on his face. "Have you lost your mind? Why do you keep exposing yourself like this?"

Adair laughed a little maniacally. "Because I can."

"Adair, it's dangerous!"

"I'm thousands of years old, Arthur! Back in my day, gods and goddesses did not have to hide from mortals!"

Arthur scoffed. "Back in your day, you weren't sharing a body with a human! Back in your day, nobody was shackling you down in iron chains!"

Adair thought about this for a moment. _"He's not wrong,"_ Lilly said.

Adair snarled. "Shut it, Lilly."

Lilly giggled from inside. _"So testy."_

Arthur closed in on Adair as the men surrounded them. "You can't just go around flauntin' that you're a goddess, Adair. It endangers my wife and my unborn children. You're the reason why Leviticus wanted her dead in the first place! She was tortured and raped! None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you!" Arthur shouted angrily, his face turning red. "It's your fault she went through so much bullshit!"

Adair tilted her head to the side and looked at Arthur in disbelief. _"I had no idea he felt that way,"_ Lilly said.

"Neither did I," Adair replied. "Arthur, yes, I am the reason for a lot of Lilly's...bad luck, but if it wasn't for me, she would not be the woman she is today and she would not have met you."

Arthur blinked a few times. "But...you," he stammered.

"We don't have time for arguing! Let's loot. They might have information on 'em that will help our friends with their cause."

Adair changed back to Lilly and Lilly looked at all the natives who were just staring at her with their jaws dropped. "Ahem, don't ya know it's rude to stare? Close your mouths, boys, and let's find stuff on these bodies."

They shut their mouths and as Lilly went looting, Eagle Flies approached her. "We need anything my father can use to strengthen our case," he said.

"I ain't sure much is gonna strengthen your case after this," Arthur said.

Lilly looted another body and looked up at Eagle Flies who looked rather confused. "Somethin' on your mind?" she asked him.

"Well, yes!" he barked with a laugh. "You...you changed into a...flying person!"

"I did." Lilly walked away to another body.

Eagle Flies followed her. "How did you do that?"

Lilly sighed. "Two souls, remember?"

"Yes but how did you do that?"

Lilly shrugged. "Damned if I know. It's a long story."

Lilly went to another body and searched for information. Eagle Flies just stood where he was and crossed his arms. "Okay, tell me."

Lilly scoffed at him. "Now?!"

"Yeah."

Lilly laughed at him. "We don't have time for that now!"

Suddenly a cannon ball hit and some of the men fell down, as did Lilly. She groaned and got up slowly. She heard a loud ringing in her ears and looked at Arthur who ran towards her. He was saying something to her but she couldn't hear him. She shook her head and palmed her ears.

"I can't hear shit!" she shouted.

He made a face like he was laughing. He directed her towards the hill and she saw army men coming down. She pulled her revolvers out and began shooting. Arthur raced up the hill, shooting men as he went. He shot the man with the cannon and soon all the military men were dead. Lilly started to regain her hearing and she shook her head again as a horn sounded in the distance.

"Damn. They're sendin' riders from the fort, we need to leave," Arthur said.

"But where's Paytah?" Eagle Flies asked. "Was he killed?"

Lilly looked around and saw Paytah walking towards them. "There he is," Lilly pointed out.

"He's alive," Eagle Flies said in relief.

"Well, that went just about accordin' to plan," Arthur spat out sarcastically to Dutch.

Dutch looked at Arthur walking off. "I'm tryin'...I'm tryin', Arthur, with everything I have and I will keep tryin', and you'll keep doubtin' me, and we'll keep failin'!" Dutch said angrily.

"It ain't like that, Dutch, look at me. Look at me!" Dutch glanced at Arthur. "I'm just...I'm worried about folk!"

"I know, I..." There was a loud boom coming from the fort and a large cannon ball hit near the two men. Not enough to knock them on their feet but enough to make them flinch. "We should go."

"Where's Eagle Flies?!"

"Run, son! Lilly, run!" Lilly and the two men went running. "This area's gonna be crawlin' with soldiers in a few minutes. We gotta leave. Now."

Lilly looked around for Eagle Flies and any of the other natives but she couldn't find them. "What about Eagle Flies?!" she yelled at Dutch. "We can't just-"

"We gotta go, Lilly! Come on!" Lilly ran to Doc amd mounted up. The other men got on their horses and galloped away. "We need to ride hard! Stay with me!"

Lilly kicked Doc's sides. "Run, boy! Run!"

Doc immediately increased speed as she followed Dutch and Arthur but the raven black Shire couldn't keep up with the two Arabians.

* * *

"Let's see if we can lose them down here!" Dutch said as they ran down a secluded trail. Shooting began from above them. "Shit! I guess not! Get behind something, Arthur! Lilly, get-" Dutch looked around for his daughter as he got behind a boulder. "Where's Lilly?"

Arthur looked around for her too. "God dammit!" he yelled.

"She'll be fine, she's got Adair with her! Just shoot, son!"

The two men were continuously pursued by more army men but all they could do was take cover and keep shooting, then run further into the trail. Arthur was worried about his wife but hoped that she would be okay. They kept getting followed by more and more army men.

"This is a losing battle, Arthur! We gotta do somethin'!" Arthur made more shots as he went through the pass. "There's too many, Arthur! Fall back!"

Arthur and Dutch went running until they reached a bridge that was out. "It's a dead end!" Arthur yelled as he walked around and threw his hands up. "This is it, this is..."

Dutch looked down towards the canyon then looked at Arthur. "Well, Arthur..."

"Put your hands up!" an army yelled as they came down the pass, guns raised.

This was not good. Not good at all. "I said put your damn hands up!"

"Okay. Okay." Dutch side walked to Arthur as Arthur put his hands up. "Follow my lead. I got a plan. This is a good one," Dutch whispered as he holstered his guns and raised his hands. "Hello, officers."

"You keep them hands up and come here." More soldiers showed up on the other side of the bridge as well as in the pass.

"Hello, Captain."

"Keep your hands up and come here." Arthur wasn't necessarily scared, but he sure as hell was flustered by the whole situation. He hoped Lilly got away. He hoped Eagle Flies and Paytah got away. "Come here."

Dutch and Arthur started backing up and the soldiers slowly closed in on them. "We uh...we can't do that," Dutch said. "Your men...those men they killed? They were good men. You're fightin' nature, Captain."

"Get over here!" the Captain growled.

"Ask my friend here. My whole life, I tried to fight change. It's a waste, I see that now. It's a waste. You can't fight nature, Captain. You can't fight change."

All of a sudden, from up the pass, there came a loud roar and the soldiers turned around to see a giant red grizzly bear running towards them. Dutch looked at Arthur in shock but Arthur chuckled.

"Don't worry, that's Adair," Arthur assured him.

"What?!"

The soldiers started shouting as the bear neared them. "Open fire!"

Adair roared again as the men fired at her but the bullets didn't penetrate her skin at all. Adair kept coming forward slowly as she bellowed. The soldiers quit firing as they realized their guns were ineffective. Adair moved closer and Arthur and Dutch started inching their way around the soldiers, their hands still up. Arthur debated on whether or not he should say anything to Adair when she spoke.

"Get away from my men! Now!" she ordered. Arthur's eyes went wide from the shock of seeing a talking bear. The soldiers backed away from Dutch and Arthur and the two gang members ran to hide behind Adair. She roared at the soldiers again. "Do not follow us!"

Arthur peeked around Adair at the soldiers as they stared at the beast in utter disbelief. "How do we get out of this?" Dutch asked her.

"Get on."

Dutch shook his head as if he didn't hear her right. "What?"

Adair looked back at him and lowered herself to the ground. "I said get on!" she growled. "And you better hang on tight."

Dutch and Arthur both climbed atop of Adair and she turned around, running up the pass. More soldiers were in their way and at them.

"Fire back, Arthur!" Dutch yelled.

The two took their guns out and began shooting at their enemies as Adair increased her pace. She ran faster and faster, and Arthur couldn't believe how fast Adair was running. And even though they were followed, they gradually left the military men in the dust. Adair ran to a secluded wooded area to where the horses were hiding and both the boys got off. Adair changed back into her regular form and Dutch clapped her on the shoulder. "You saved our asses. Thank you, Adair."

"You're welcome," Adair responded with a beaming smile.

"What a mess," Arthur said with a shake of his head.

"I know," Dutch said, walking towards the Count. "But a mess is what we need. We just escaped," he mounted up," from chaos. Eagle Flies must've been taken."

Arthur walked to Tessa. "Taken," he said as he climbed on. "Or killed.

Adair changed into Lilly and Lilly got on Doc. "Are we gonna do somethin' about that?"

"Well, we can't go find out," Dutch said, shaking his hand to signify a no.

"No, not now," Arthur agreed whole heartedly.

"Charles...I'll...we'll send him. Where is he?"

Arthur coughed and hacked. "He's probably back at camp."

"Let's split up. I'll go tell him." Dutch neared Arthur and Lilly. "You rest up, then go meet him at the reservation," Dutch said to Arthur. "We are gonna make it, brother." Dutch shook Arthur's hand. "I can feel it. Faith, Arthur...have faith." Dutch went and trotted away from the couple.

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other. "So, let's go rest up," Lilly said. "Should we make camp?"

"Yeah," Arthur replied. The two galloped away from where they were to a nice ledge overlooking the river. They set up their tent and crawled in. "You know, that was pretty amazing what happened back there. I didn't even know Adair could talk in that...that...as an animal."

Lilly giggled as she laid down, cupping her pregnant belly. "Yeah, I was pretty shocked about that too."

Arthur leaned down and kissed her belly. "Ah, the wee bairns," he said in an Irish accent.

Lilly laughed. "Don't you start..."

Arthur smiled at her devilishly and kissed her gently, relaxing next to her. "Too late, me bonnie Irish lass..."

Lilly laughed happily and kissed Arthur. "You're such a shite."

Arthur pecked her lips again. "You love it, woman."

"I most certainly do not."

"Liar."

"Bithiúnach."

Arthur chuckled deeply into her neck. "I love it when you call me that."

* * *

Arthur woke up the next morning to find Lilly just outside crafting some herbs into a craft bowl. "Whatchu makin'?" Arthur asked as he buttoned up his blue shirt.

Lilly smiled at him. "Oh, makin' that recipe Rains Fall taught you," she replied happily.

"Oh." He looked around and saw ten bottles near her full of the stuff. "Jesus woman, where'd you get all the herbs for that?"

"Oh, I was out while you were sleepin'."

"For how long."

"...All night."

Arthur looked at her face and saw how tired she looked. "Lilly, you didn't have to do all that."

Lilly narrowed her eyes. "Not don't you even start with me, mo chuisle. I am your wife and I am supposed to take care of you when you're..." Lilly paused and started to sob. "When you're...you're..."

Arthur knelt down to her and kissed her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Why hasn't The Morrigan come tah heal ya? I dunna understand! It's been weeks since she said she would and we havena seen her since she helped rescue me!" she cried.

Arthur held her to his chest. "I know, but she will, I'm sure of it." Arthur wasn't really sure. In fact, he had given up hope on being cured. Had The Morrigan lied, or was she gone for good? Lilly had said some dark magic invaded Tír na nÓg, so did The Morrigan survive the attack? He hoped she did. "Darlin', don't cry..."

"I canna help it, Arthur. I dunna want ya to die."

Arthur held her face in his hands and stared into her eyes. "I know. And it might happen, or it might not. But I need you to promise me that if I do die, you gotta live on for our babies, understand?"

Lilly sniffled and nodded. "Of course." They kissed softly but Lilly pulled away. "I need to finish these."

Arthur put his hands on hers. "I can finish. You need a nap, I think."

Lilly nodded and handed Arthur the crafting supplies. "Okay."

Lilly went into the tent and Arthur finished grinding up the last of the herbs for Rains Fall's medicinal recipe. He filled more bottles until he had fifteen filled up. He was impressed at his wife's dedication but also worried. When he did die, how would she take it? He sure as hell didn't take her death all that well so he couldn't really blame her for being so upset. And she was a strong woman. Arthur knew she'd get over it eventually.

* * *

"Arthur. Lilly," Charles greeted as the married couple and the wolves made their way into Wapiti.

"Hey Charles," Lilly said with a happy wave.

"Thank you for coming," he said as they walked along.

"Oh, no problem, Charles."

"The chief, he's uh, he's very...maybe you could speak to him? One of you?"

Lilly nodded. "Arthur, why don't you? I want to go visit Hawk Eye," Lilly explained excitedly.

Arthur inclined his head with a chuckle. "Alright, go on."

Lilly and the boys went running to Hawk Eye's tent. "Mr. Hawk Eye, sir? It's Lilly," she said at the entrance.

"Come in, and bring your wolves," he said. Lilly wasn't sure how they'd fit but obliged him, calling the wolves to her as she walked in. They followed her in as Lilly spotted Hawk Eye across from her. "Please sir," he said kindly.

"Thank you." Lilly sat with her legs criss crossed and the boys settled on each side of her. "How are you, Hawk Eye?" she asked.

"I am well. And you?"

"I'm good," Lilly said with an agreeable expression. "Sir, I had some questions."

"I suspected as much. Ask your questions, child."

Lilly cleared her throat. "I can't figure out he who is like the Lord. Our only suspect is a man named Micah and he is the very opposite of the Lord."

Hawk eye chuckled in amusement. "Oh, you'll figure it out. Just trust The Morrigan and I."

Lilly sighed. "Okay..." That was not what she wanted to hear but she couldn't very well beat the answer out of the old man. "The other day, something happened. I was unable to get visions from an oak tree as I sometimes do. And right after that, this...everyone started shouting and arguing with one another and I felt as if it was, well...it seemed odd."

"That was dark magic at work. It only affected your family for a little bit, but I would suggest looking in your cave for something not natural."

Lilly grinned. Now she was getting somewhere. "Good. I will do that as soon as I return home."

"Any other questions?"

Lilly shook her head. "Not really. Mostly I just wanted to stop by and say hello."

Hawk Eye smiled and looked at the wolves. "Your brothers look well fed."

Lilly laughed. "Oh, they are."

"I have something for you."

"Okay?"

The man reached into his pouch and pulled out a small bag made of leather and gave it to Lilly. "Use this in your tea. It will help you with your visions."

Lilly looked inside and the smell of skunk invaded her nostrils. "Um, ha! You know, I have a bunch of this stuff already. I smoke it for my nerves."

"This is different. This has been mixed with other herbs. And you don't have to smoke this. You eat it."

"Eat it?!"

Hawk Eye laughed. "If that appeals to you, yes. It tastes bad, though."

Lilly snorted. "I bet."

"Lilly?" she heard Arthur shout. "Lilly, where are you?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "That would be my husband." Lilly put the small pouch in her satchel. "Thank you for the herbs, sir. I should be on my way."

"You're welcome. And again, feel free to stop by any time."

Lilly nodded and left the tipi with the boys. As she spotted her husband, she walked to him. "Hello, mo chuisle. Somethin' goin' on?"

Arthur nodded with a determined look on his face. "We're goin' to rescue Eagle Flies from the fort."


	70. The Letter

Charles, Arthur, and Lilly went to their horses and climbed on. Brian and James followed them out of Wapiti.

"So, I've been scouting the fort," Charles began to say. "The army are patrolling all the main roads and bridges in and out but, if we can get the horses across the river, I found a route that should get us fairly close. If we wait until late enough, there's a place we should be able to sneak in around the back."

"Okay, whatever you think. I trust ya," Arthur said.

"No guns. Just knives and arrows. If we start making a lot of noise, he'll be dead before we get close to him."

"Okay."

"I left three canoes down river, in case we need another way out of there."

"Okay, good." Arthur coughed a bit.

"Lilly, you should have Adair in on this. I know knives are your specialty, but..."

Lilly sighed. "I know. I'm pregnant. I'll change when we get there."

 _"Good,"_ Adair said. _"I look forward to conversing with this "Eagle Flies". He seems...worthy of my attention_ _,"_ she said almost suggestively.

Lilly blinked a bunch of times. "Wait, what about Mr. Pearson?"

Charles looked back at her. "What?"

Lilly waved him off. "Sorry, I'm talkin' to Adair."

_"You really thought I was serious about that?"_

Lilly started laughing. "I knew it!"

"You know," Charles began, "this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Dutch."

"It ain't just on Dutch," Arthur argued. "We all went along with it."

"He saw Eagle Flies burned hot, and he fanned the flames."

_"Oh, Eagle Flies can fan my flames any day."_

Lilly snickered to herself. "Oh my God Adair, shut it..."

"He's not helping that tribe. He's helping himself. You see that, or you wouldn't have gone to Rains Fall behind his back," Charles explained angrily.

"I guess I just keep thinkin', there must be a way to save the situation, to pull Dutch out of the place he's in, and...well, I...I like Rains Fall."

"Yeah," Lilly said. "It's not entirely Da's fault that he's actin' this way. He's gettin' manipulated by dark magic and a snake...or a rat, or both, who I believe is Micah, and I think Micah is bein' influenced as well. I don't have proof yet, but I will. I just need to somehow connect Micah to this "he who is like the Lord" bullshit."

Charles stopped his horse and looked at Lilly. "Woa, woa, woa! You're telling me...where the hell are you getting this information?"

Lilly sighed. "My visions, and I spoke with Hawk Eye, the shaman in Wapiti."

"Hawk Eye? Really?"

"Mmhmm. He was kinda interested in the wolves, too. And he knew about Adair and The Morrigan and...well, he knows a lot of shit."

Charles gaped at her then shook his head. "So, wait...what about the rat? I thought Molly was the rat?"

"Molly wasn't the rat, I keep tellin' all of yas! She was steamed out of her mind! No, it's definitely Micah. Was told the snake and the rat were one, thought that meant they were the same person, but I was wrong. The snake is corrupting the rat, although Micah didn't need that much of a push, I'm bettin'."

"So...who's the snake?"

"Same person who is tryin' to invade Tírna nÓg."

"What the hell is Tír na nÓg?"

Lilly sighed heavily and palmed her face. "Look, man. If ya wantah understand this, I'll let ya read me journal later but we gotta focus on gettin Eagle Flies out first, okay? That and...just trust me on this. Micah's a feckin' rat."

Arthur moved closer to Lilly. "I'm inclined to agree. We been tryin' to figure this snake thing out for a while. Since gettin' out of Guarma."

Charles threw up his hands. "This is a lot. How do you keep up with all this, Lilly?"

"I write it all down in my journal."

_"Can we move this along? I am anxious to see Eagle Flies so I can seduce him."_

Lilly scowled. "You are not havin' relations with anyone while we're sharin' a body!"

_"You have relations with your husband and we share a body_ _!"_

"It was my body first!"

Arthur started laughing. "Who is she wantin' to have sex with?"

Lilly blushed furiously. "...Eagle Flies." Charles and Arthur both started laughing. "Hey, this ain't funny! I dunna wanna hafta watch his god damn face while Adair fucks him! Besides, that would be me...cheatin', wouldn't it?"

Arthur shook his head. "No. And to be honest, well...she admitted to watchin' us."

"Ugh, yeah, she...wait, you'd be fine with this?!"

Arthur laughed. "Yes. As long as it ain't you fuckin' him, I don't care."

_"Thank you, Arthur!"_

Lilly rolled her eyes. "I can't even believe we're havin' this conversation. Can we go?!"

_"I have taken on many lovers, Lilly. What's another one to me?"_

"Oh my God, I don't want to know how many lovers you've had, Adair!"

Charles and Arthur burst into hysterical laughter and Lilly blushed even more.

* * *

In the rain, the human trio made it outside Fort Wallace and waited until nightfall to sneak in. Before that point, Lilly had changed into Adair and the three people mostly discussed trivial things with each other. But now it was dark and they were ready to rescue the chief's son.

"I guess this is it," Charles said.

"I guess it is," Arthur responded.

"Let's keep quiet and try to find a way in. Main thing is that they don't hear us. Ready?"

Arthur put his bandana over his mouth. Adair made sure her arrows and knives were plentiful and she checked the sharpness of her sword. Satisfied, she stood with the two men. "Brian, James, you stay behind. If things go wrong, you get outta here," Arthur explained to them both.

The boys arooed softly and Arthur chuckled. Adair pat both their heads and she left with both her men in a crouched position. She didn't have her wings out at the moment. They wouldn't be needed. Adair looked down at her bare feet and shut her eyes, feeling the wet earth underneath her. It was a good feeling. Her ankle length skirt blew in the wind a little as she followed Charles and Arthur.

"Patrol group," Charles said barely above a whisper. "Hopefully we'll be in and out before they can come back around." The three moved fast near the front gates, hiding themselves in the brush. "There's two guards out front. I'll take one, you take the other, Arthur."

Adair watched as both the men took down their quarry silently and she smiled. "Excellent," she whispered.

 _"Arthur has really got the hang of usin' a bow now. It fills me with pride,"_ said Lilly.

"Good, let's make our way around the back," suggested Charles in a low, soft tone. "Stay close to the wall." They scaled the wall for a bit but Charles stopped. "Careful, there's a guard up there."

They stopped when they saw a lantern above the wall along with a guard. He surveyed the area for a moment before going back.

"Okay, let's go," Charles said lowly. They resumed their slow pace along the wall, creeping like little mice. They turned a corner and saw a tower. They moved away from the wall. "Slow...shh, wait." All three stopped. "Two more. One in the tower, one on the ground. Same as before, you take one, I got the other."

Arthur and Charles made their shots and killed both the guards. "Lovely work," Adair whispered softly. "Lilly approves of your prowess with a bow, Arthur."

Arthur chuckled. "Thank you."

"Good, just a bit further on here," Charles said softly as they went to the edge of the tower. "This is the spot."

Charles took off his rope with a hook, swung it, and threw it up. It landed on the other side of the wall. Adair shook her head and jumped up, grasping the ledge with her hands and looking around for patrols. When she saw none, Adair motioned for her companions to climb and as they did, she swooped over and stood on the other side. She ducked behind some barrels along with Arthur, anf Charles took cover ahead of them.

"Shh, guard up ahead," Charles whispered once more. "Have you got a shot on him?"

"I've got this one." Arthur armed his bow and shot the guard in the head. Adair smiled.

 _"Oof, I don't know why, but watching him handle that bow turns me on,"_ said Lilly.

Adair giggled quietly as they moved along. "Me too."

_"Hey, save that sexual shit for Eagle Flies!"_

Adair snickered and Charles looked at her. "What are you giggling for?"

Adair pointed to her head. "Lilly amused me," she whispered.

"Well keep it down, please..."

"Apologies, Charles."

They crept through the tower and Arthur shot another guard on the walkway. They continued forward slowly as they squatted, and killed two more guards before making their way to another tower. They checked to see if it was clear. It was. Arthur spotted another guard and shot him in the head.

"The cells should be just down this way," Charles pointed out as they went on. They went down sone stairs and ducked behind boxes as they saw more men. "We'll never get past these guards. Get up that tower and try to distract them. Try to put an arrow into the lantern above that stack of wood over there. Start a fire."

Arthur went into another tower and started climbing. Adair looked at Charles with a sad face. "Am I only here as backup?"

"Yes, and in case things go south." Adair hmphed and crossed her arms. Charles chuckled a little. "You're a bit blood thirsty, aren't you?"

Adair smiled at him evily. "What else would you expect from a goddess of war?"

Suddenly the lantern above the wood stack burst into flame. "Fire! We got a fire near the ammo!" a soldier yelled.

"Okay, let's go," Charles said and the two went across the ground towards the cells. Charles took out a guard with a knife. "Arthur, get down here." Arthur climbed down a ladder. "Quickly, the cells are just in here."

Adair could hear talking in the cell area. "No, I think the snake was full up after eating your brain," she heard Eagle Flies say.

"Oh, that a joke?" someone else said.

Charles went in and killed the guard with a tomahawk. "Arthur Morgan? Charles? Lilly? Is that you?" she heard Eagle Flies groan out. "Look for the keys. You have to get me out of here."

Arthur searched the giard for the keys as Adair looked through the cell bars. He was tied up to the ceiling. "Got 'em," Arthur said and opened the door.

Adair tilted her head to one side as she examined Eagle Flies' beaten face and body. _"Oh Jesus Christ, seriously Adair?"_

"I can look if I want to, Lilly."

Arthur cut Eagle Flies down and he fell to the floor. "Come on, your father sent us." Arthur helped Eagle Flies up.

"My father...he told you to come and kill guards?" Eagle Flies asked.

"No, he didn't say that, he..."

"Of course not."

"You okay?"

Adair studied the man. "Sure. I enjoy being tortured...clears the...mind..." he looked at Adair and blinked with his good eye. "Are you..."

Adair closed in on him and took in his scent. "You smell like summer grass."

_"Oh my fucking God, Adair. Is that how you pick up men?!"_

Eagle Flies gaped at her. "I, uh, thank you?"

"I'm Adair, goddess of war, hunting, and death. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Eagle Flies."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Adair, let's get him out of here before you start hittin' on him."

Suddenly a horn sounded and Adair laughed. "Charles, may I go kill the mortals now?"

Charles nodded. "Knock yourself out."

Adair made a confused face. "What?"

Charles laughed a little. "I mean go ahead."

Adair's red wings came out of her back and she opened the door.

* * *

Arthur watched her leave and Charles and him sat down. Eagle Flies slumped to the floor. "So, that's Lilly's other soul?"

"Yes," Arthur replied.

"What is she doing?"

A man came flying through the door and Charles stabbed him in the head with a knife. "Clearing the way for us."

Shouting and gunfire emanated throughout the fort while the three men waited, and soon all was quiet. Arthur got up and opened the door just as an explosion happened. Adair waved at them from a cannon. "I have procured us a way out, gentlemen!"

Arthur shook his head with a chuckle. "Let's go, boys."

They all left through a hole in the fence and started running.

* * *

"I don't see anymore of them," Charles said as Arthur killed the last soldier gunning for them down the river. "Let's get over to the shore."

Adair and the rest pulled their canoes to the shore. "I think we lost 'em," Arthur said as Charles and Eagle Flies sat on a boulder. "C'mon."

Arthur coughed and spit, wiping his mouth with a gloved hand. "You okay, Arthur?" Charles asked him.

"Yeah, I'm right as rain. How are you?" he asked Eagle Flies.

"I'll be fine in a day or so. I heal fast. Colonel Favours won't be too happy with your rescue."

"I guess not," Arthur said, sitting next to Eagle Flies. Adair remained standing as she was not worn from the fight.

"Yes, there's gonna be a lot more trouble. My father...even he may have to fight."

"You won't win," Arthur mentioned as Charles got up to grab the abandoned horses, "no big fight with them. Shouldn't you all just run away?"

"Where would we go?"

"I dunno."

"Hey friend, let me take you back to your father," Charles said, helping Eagle Flies up.

"Sure, but first..." Eagle Flies said, giving Adair a soft smile. "What was that about me smelling like summer grass?"

Adair crossed her arms as she looked at Eagle Flies. "I meant you smell delightful."

 _"There you go,"_ Lilly laughed.

"Be quiet, Lilly," Adair growled.

Eagle pointed at Adair. "You two can talk to each other?"

"Yes."

Eagle Flies laughed and looked at two abandoned horses. "Thank you. All of you."

"Don't mention it," Arthur said.

* * *

"Mr. Morgan, Mrs. Morgan," Susan Grimshaw addressed as Arthur and Lilly got back into camp.

"Miss Grimshaw," they both said in greeting.

"You okay?" Susan asked Arthur.

"Sure," he replied casually.

"Mr. Bell seems to have found a couple of men he knows...they're sittin' over there." She pointed to the table over by Dutch's tent.

Arthur looked over at them, as did Lilly. "Really?"

"Dutch seems fine with it...but it feels odd to me."

"Yes, very odd."

Lilly dismounted with Arthur and tethered their horses. The Irish woman looked over at the two new men by Dutch's tent. "Ní maith liom é seo," Lilly whispered. _[I don't like this.]_

"Ní dóigh liomsa," Arthur whispered back. _[I don't either.]_

"Caithfidh mé dul isteach san uaimh." Lilly and Arthur walked closer to Dutch's tent. _[I have to go into that cave.]_

"Why?" Arthur asked curiously.

"Because," she stopped and looked at him. "Dúirt Hawk Eye liom go bhfuil rud éigin san uaimh. Rud a bhaineann le draíocht dhorcha." _[Hawk Eye told me that there is something in the cave. Something related to dark magic.]_

"Feicim. An gá duit dul isteach ann anois?" _[I see. Do you need to go into it now?]_

"Níl, ach ba chóir go mbeadh sé níos luaithe seachas níos déanaí." _[No, but it should be sooner rather than later.]_

Arthur caressed her cheek and kissed her softly. "Tá bealach isteach ar ais. Taispeánfaidh mé duit níos déanaí." _[There is a back entrance. I'll show you later.]_

Lilly kissed him back and smiled at him. "Yes, my love." Clever man.

Arthur walked with Lilly over to Dutch's tent. "Are you payin' us a visit, Morgans? Come over to the other side of camp, have you? Crossed the great divide?" Micah asked them both.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Who are these fellers?"

"Cleet and Joe are good boys, Lilly. I rode with them a long time ago. Best thing that could'a happened to us really, me, bumpin' into 'em again." Micah sniffed. "Best thing, right boys?"

"Sure," said one of them.

"Now Arthur's...Arthur's a kinda...a sullen, angry, man and...he ain't well. Not well at all. Sad, really, havin' to leave behind his wife and unborn twins. But what can you do? Guess we all gotta die sometime." Micah started laughing.

Lilly clenched her fists and walked over to Dutch, ignoring what else Micah had to say about her husband's fate. The two new guys made her very uncomfortable, and she could feel it right down into the depths of her stomach. "Da! What the hell is goin' on here?!" she asked, motioning to Joe and Cleet.

Dutch arched a brow and crossed his arms. "What? We got two new members."

"But we don't know them!" Lilly shouted at him.

"Micah does. They're good folk Micah ran with long ago."

Lilly threw up her hands, rolled her head, and huffed a frustrated breath of air. "Oh, because Micah is good folk, right? Well he ain't!"

Arthur approached Lilly from behind, yanked her away, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Lilly, calm down."

Lilly huffed and turned around. "Why?!"

"Toisc go gcaithfimid ár gcuid ama a ghlacadh leis seo!" Arthur snapped. _[Because we have to take our time with this!]_

"Chun ifreann le foighne!" Lilly yelled, throwing her hands up. "Thug sé strainséirí isteach inár dteach!" _[To hell with patience! He brought strangers into our home!]_

Arthur grabbed her shoulders and stared hard into Lilly's face. "Teastaíonn cruthúnas uainn!" _[We need proof!]_

Lilly glared at him. "Tá cruthúnas san uaimh sin!" _[There is proof in that cave!]_

Arthur kissed her forehead. "Breathnóimid anocht. Coinnigh do ghuth síos. Tá siad ag faire. " _[We'll look tonight. Keep your voice down. They are watching.]_

Sean walked over with Karen. "Lilly, Arthur, what's goin' on?" Sean asked them.

"Tá rud éigin san uaimh sin a d'fhéadfadh a chruthú go bhfuil Da á láimhseáil. Cruthúnas ar an bhfrancach. Cruthúnas ar an nathair," Lilly said. _[_ _There is something in that cave that could prove that Da is being handled. Proof of the rat. Proof of the snake.]_

"Ní mór dúinn bualadh le Hosea. Beidh a fhios aige cad atá le déanamh," Sean whispered. _[We must meet with Hosea. He will know what to do.]_

Arthur nodded in agreement. Lilly looked around for Hosea and found him. "Athair! A word!"

* * *

Hosea, Sean, Karen, Lilly, and Arthur were all in the Morgan tent. After explaining everything to Hosea, all he could do was pace. "I get what you're sayin', but even if you find proof, Lilly, will Dutch be able to see reason?"

"Why wouldn't he?" she asked. "You don't think he's that far gone, do you?"

"I think he is," Sean said. "I mean, have you seen how the man has been actin'? He's lost his mind."

Lilly looked at Karen. "What do you think?"

Karen let out a deep breath. "I honestly don't know what to think, Lilly, but I won't deny that he ain't changed. He has changed."

Lilly glanced at Arthur. "And you?"

Arthur rubbed his chin. "I owe him to try and get him out of the place he's at. At least that's how I feel."

Lilly grabbed his hand and looked at Hosea. "What do we do?" Just then, Sadie Adler announced herself outside the tent. "Come in, Sadie."

Sadie walked in with a determined look on her face, yet one look at Arthur and her expression softened. "You okay?" sue asked him.

Arthur sighed. "Peachy, he replied."

"You sure?"

Arthur made a sad face. "No, I ain't sure."

"You still workin'?"

"Is anybody still workin'?" Arthur said. Everyone shook their heads. "The whole god damn place full of people, bickerin', and fightin', and lyin'. It makes me real sad."

"I know," said Sadie, looking sad herself. "Anyway, I need someone to ride with me."

"To do what?" Arthur asked.

"Finish off them O'Driscolls," she responded bitterly. "I hear the last of 'em his holed up at Hanging Dog Ranch."

Arthur got up and shrugged with a soft shake of his head. "I don't got it in me no more. I saw Colm swing, I...I just don't care."

Sadie narrowed her eyes. "I was a married woman. You know what they did to me and to my husband!" Sadie turned her back for a moment and wiped her face, then she looked at then all. "All of you are the only ones of these fools that I trust." She turned around and crossed her arms. "I gotta do this."

Lilly frowned and bowed her head. Sadie was all alone in the world. If someone killed Arthur, Lilly would go to Hell itself to bring those that wrong him and her to justice, despite no longer feeling the need for revenge. Perhaps she would feel it if Arthur was taken from her. She stood up slowly.

"I'll go with you," Lilly said.

Arthur looked at Lilly as Sadie turned around. "Lillian, what about the-"

Lilly eyed her husband sadly. "Ag tabhairt ár gcuid ama, ceart?" _[Taking our time, right?]_

Arthur pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Sea." _[Yes.]_

Sean got off his chair. "I'll go with, too."

Sadie grinned at them both. "Thank you."

Lilly turned to her husband. "Well? What say you, Arthur?"

Arthur chuckled and rolled his eyes at his wife. "Alright, I'll go. But Sadie, there's somethin' you could help me with. Abigail, Jack, John...make sure they make it. I mean, this whole thing is pretty much done, but, when the time comes..."

"But, how do you mean?" Sadie asked Arthur.

"When the time comes, you help them."

"What do you mean?" she inquired with a stern tone.

"I mean...help them escape when I..." he paused and looked at Lilly. "Look, will you help them?"

Sadie put a hand on Arthur's arm. "Of course I will. Thank you. Now, you guys wanna ride with me now or meet me up at Hanging Dog Ranch when you can?"

Lilly lowered her head. She was, at that point, seriously considering the fact that Arthur was not going to make it. They both knew it. The Morrigan wasn't coming even though she had promised. This made Lilly angry as all hell, but it didn't change her husband's fate. She had no more visions to see, based on what happened at the oak tree. Except...she reached into her satchel and found the herbs Hawk Eye gave her. She fingered the leather and smiled softly. Maybe she could foresee a way for Arthur to survive. With newfound hope, she decided she couldn't give up just yet.

"We're goin' now," Lilly said as she put the pouch away. "On the way, well, I need to do something and I'll need some peace and quiet."

* * *

It was late at night in their small camp when Lilly started stuffing her pipe with the stuff Hawk Eye gave her. Just before she was going to smoke it, Arthur stopped her. "Lilly, can we talk before you do this? Privately?"

Lilly nodded and put the pipe away. He helped her up and walked with her through the area away from the tents. Sadie and Sean were already asleep, but Arthur still wanted the space for what he needed to say. He held his wife's hands and looked into her eyes.

"The Morrigan isn't comin', Lilly. I think we both know that."

"No," Lilly said with a depressed expression. She felt tears in her eyes. "If she ain't comin', then we'll stick to your treatments. Otherwise...what am I goin' to do without you, Arthur?"

Arthur shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Abigail might know where Dutch is keepin' all the money."

Lilly went slack-jawed and wide-eyed. "Are you nuts? We can't steal from Da!"

"Not all of it! Just some of it," he whispered. "Keep your voice down."

"Some of it?"

"Yes. Enough for you, Sean, Karen, Hosea, and whoever else wants to go."

Lilly sighed. "We don't need to steal it. I got the money."

Arthur looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

Lilly put a hand to her head. "Not yet, anyway, but I wrote a letter to Patrick a while back, the day I went to get those books about your treatments. He's coming with money."

Arthur turned around and put his hands on his hips. This woman here...he twisted back around and shook his head at her. "You asked him for money and you didn't tell nobody?"

Lilly started fiddling with her fingers. "I...yes. I didn't want to make a big deal in case he said no, but he sent me a letter." Lilly reached into her satchel and pulled out a piece of folded paper. "Read." Arthur grabbed and opened it.

_Dear Lilly,_

_I am full of regret and sorrow to hear of your troubles, especially that of Arthur's illness. I do hope he survives long enough for the trip back here, for I miss you both a great deal and if you believe it, the mountain air will help as I have heard from various sources. I am so sorry, and yet my heart is light that you are pregnant. You will have two heirs to your estate and your cured infertility fills me with joy._

_As you requested, I will send this letter out to you and I will make preparations for everyone's trip to Ireland. Do not worry about paying me back, you are not indebted to me. My only wish is to see you safe and sound at Darach ar an gCnoc. Oh, my poor Lilly. I shall hurry as best I can. I will send word once I have arrived in the states and on my way to Saint Denis._

_Aftectionately Your Friend,_ _Patrick Nolan_

Arthur chuckled and folded the letter back up. "Has he gotten here yet?"

"No. I haven't heard from him yet. I'm going to check Annesburg for mail once we get back."

Arthur pressed his forehead to hers. "Let's just hope he gets here before everything goes to hell."

Lilly kissed him passionately and Arthur wrapped his arms around her. Lilly grasped his jacket collar and Arthur laid her down in the grass. He was going to make love to his wife, but he was going to take his time with it as if it would be the last time. He slowly removed her clothes and his before laying on her once more, looking down at her body to take it all to memory. Arthur wanted to memorize every last bit of Lilly, though he'd already done that. It was more like he wanted to remember this moment of being with his wife thoroughly. He entered her warm womanhood and she gasped loudly into his mouth, then Arthur held Lilly close to him as he slowly pushed in and pulled out of her. He nestled his lips on her neck as she lifted her head back.

"Tá grá agam duit," he whispered on her throat. _[I love you.]_

"Tá grá agam duit," she whispered back. _[I love you.]_

Arthur kissed Lilly deeply as he continued sliding in and out of her at a slow and steady pace. "Lillian...you're the," he kissed her mouth again, "best thing that ever happened to me," he spoke softly against her lips.

Lilly wrapped her arms around him and placed her lips on his. "Mmm, Arthur, I share the sentiment."

He chuckled into her mouth. "I love fuckin' you, Lilly. I love everythin' about you."

"As do I about you. Oh Arthur," she moaned. "Keep talkin', my love. My one and only. My husband with the heart of a lion."

Arthur licked her earlobe and talked lowly. "My darlin', my everythin', my wife with the heart of fire." Arthur rolled onto his back and Lilly sat up on him, grinding and moving her hips about. She leaned down and kissed him as he wrapped his fingers in her auburn locks. "I want to go slow, but my cock wants to fuck you so hard, Lillian..."

Lilly rested on her feet, bent at the knees, then put him back inside her and started slamming down on him. The feeling of such a thing was profusely grand and Arthur could only look down in amazement amd watch his member go in and out of Lilly. She went hard and fast and his pleasure intensified. "Lillian," his voice warbled. "That feels really good."

Lilly started moaning and breathing hard. "I'm gonna come."

Arthut felt her innards twitching and soon he grunted as her muscles clenched around his shaft and tip. It sent him over the edge suddenly and his dick shot semen up inside of her, making him groan loudly and his cock spasm.

"Yeeaaahhh..." he laughed quietly. He pulled her down and kissed her with vigor. "Give me ten minutes and we're doin' that again."


	71. The Oil Field

Lilly woke up next to her husband in the tent. It was morning and they were both naked. Lilly giggled. They'd had a lot of sex and she was almost worried that she wore her husband out when he woke up and yanked her down. Lilly laughed as he started kissing her deeply.

"Mmm, good mornin', my wife," he said.

"Good mornin', my husband," she responded with. Arthur took a hand and opened her legs. "My my, Mr. Morgan. Someone is still a little frisky."

Arthur chuckled deeply as he gazed into her eyes. "I'm a lot frisky, m'lady. Now open up your legs more so I can have sex with you."

Lilly laughed and did as he asked. He hovered between her legs before sliding himself in and Lilly grunted. She put her legs around his waist as he pumped into her. Just then they heard Sean outside.

"Hey, lazy bones! C'mon, we got a ranch of cockroaches to clear out!" Sean shouted.

Arthur chuckled into her mouth. "Just...just a few minutes, Sean!" he yelled.

"Oh great, are you twos at it again?"

"Yes!" the couple shouted with laughter.

"Well hurry it up!" Sadie barked.

Arthur pulled out and got on his knees. "On your hands and knees."

Lilly turned around and did as she was told. Arthur grabbed her hips and plunged into her so fiercely it made her yelp loudly. "Arthur!"

Laughter escaped from him as he pumped into her roughly and quickly. "What? She told us to hurry it up!"

Lilly grabbed a pillow and yelled into it as Arthur fucked her hard. It didn't take very long for her to reach orgasm, however Arthur showed no signs of stopping any time soon.

* * *

Arthur walked out of the tent with a smile on his face, in his gunslinger outfit, and approached the two bemused gang members. "Fine mornin' for a killin'," he said enthusiastically as he gave Brian and James a quick scratch. "Glad you boys showed up."

Sean giggled at Arthur. "Where's Lilly?"

Arthur looked back at the tent, then over at Sean and Sadie. "Well, ahem, she may have to sit this one out. She's a bit tired."

Sadie crossed her arms. "Tired?"

Arthur reached into his satchel and pulled out an apple. "Well, that's how I left her, anyway."

Sean's signature giggle came out. "You seriously have a lot of stamina for someone who, you know...speakin' of, I thought The Morrigan was supposed to heal you?"

Arthur sighed. "Way to put a dimper in my good mood, Sean." Arthur flicked Sean's hat off and looked at Sadie as he motioned towards their target. "You seen anythin' down there?" Sean picked up his hat and brushed the dirt off of it.

"Yeah, I think there's a bunch of them down there, and mostly drunk," she replied as she looked over at the ranch. "But one of them, he's a fat fella with a beard. Him...he's mine."

Arthur rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Okay."

The three Van der Linde gang members started ambling over to Hanging Dog Ranch.

* * *

Lilly curled up in her tent like a full kitten and grinned. Man, that Arthur sure knew how to please her. She sat up and stretched, then got dressed and reached for her pipe. She made sure the shaman's stuff was in it then lit it and took a puff. One puff was all it took as she shut her eyes.

_Men on horses. A buck drinking from a stream. Eagle Flies and other Indians in war paint. Oil fields on fire. A train. An black orb in a cave. John falling off something. Eagle Flies getting shot by Colonel Favours._ _Susan getting shot. Micah and Arthur fist fighting._

_Lilly finds herself in Tír na nÓg, but instead of the sparkling rivers, the green grass and the plentiful trees, everything looks ashened and dead. Lilly gasps and holds her mouth. What happened here? Lilly starts calling out for people._

_"Morrigan?! Badb?! Macha?! Nemain?! Anyone?! Where are you?!"_

_A loud screech invades her ears and she covers them. She falls on her knees and looks up at some sort of gangly creature. It looks like a tree, but it's ashen and has limbs and a face full of sharp teeth and skeletal eye sockets. Lilly gets pulled away from the creature just as it is about to strike._

"Lilly!" Arthur said, shaking her shoulders. Lilly was trembling and sweating, but she was back inside the tent. She stared at Arthur with wide and scared eyes. "Lilly, what were you doin'?"

Lilly gasped and grabbed ahold of Arthur. "I saw Tír na nÓg...it looks awful! There was a...there was a thing that came after me."

Arthur held her face. "What happened to it? How did you get a vision? You weren't even asleep."

Lilly pointed to her pipe. "Hawk Eye. He gave me something to help with my visions. Arthur, Eagle Flies is gonna get shot by Colonel Favours. The oil fields are gonna be burning and...oh, I need to write this down."

Lilly reached into her satchel for her journal. "I thought you decided to keep that at home?"

"I changed my mind. I ain't gettin' captured ever again." Lilly opened the journal and tried to write but her hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Arthur took the book from her and held her hands. "Just breathe, mo ghrá. Breathe."

Lilly took some slow, deep breaths. "I...if I tell you what I saw, will you write it down for me?"

"Sure, darlin'."

Arthur picked up the journal and started writing as Lilly talked. When she got to the part about the tree creature, Arthur asked her to describe it. As she did, Lilly saw Arthur was sketching it. He showed her on occasion to make sure he was getting it right.

"It's head...it had small, twisted branches on top...like a crown, almost. But no base to it. Um...yes, like that."

Arthur showed her the finished artwork. "Was it like this?"

Lilly pressed a fingertip to the sketch and nodded shakily. "Yes."

Arthur looked at it and chuckled. "That is one ugly fuckin' tree. Scary as hell, though." He shut the journal and kissed her cheek. "You okay?"

"Yes."

"What happened to Tír na nÓg?" he asked her.

"I...I don't know, but I think whoever is doin' it is the same one manipulatin'...Da, and Micah."

* * *

The group of four and Lilly's brothers were strolling down a path when they got to Cumberland Falls. There were two men standing at the waterfall's edge and Arthur burst out laughing. "Oh, it's them boys with the strange names, uh...Proetus and Acrisius. I wonder what they're up to now."

"What boys?" Sean asked him.

"Oh, these guys asked me to shoot bottles off their heads and to beat them to impress, uh, that girl there," Arthur replied as he pointed to a woman near the water's edge. "Let's go have a look."

Arthur dismounted and started wading through the water. "You are a fool amd a nuisance, brother!" Proetus yelled.

"Helen, is this creepy little toad bothering you again?" Acrisius belted out. "Shall I throw him off?"

"This is gettin' quite outta hand," Helen shouted.

"Hands? Oh, he doesn't have hands. He's a troll...that's why we foind him here! He escaped from his bridge!" Acrisius said.

"Would you tell your talking monkey to go home please, Helen? He was amusing at first, but now he's really quite tiring!" Proetus snapped. "Plus I do wish they had shaved his palms as well as his face!"

"Be quiet, you hobgoblin!"

"His bottom is bright red and he mostly eats bananas!"

"You two!" Helen shouted at them again.

Proetus turned and looked at Arthur. "Oh, Arthur, how are you?"

"Never better," he replied, looking over at Lilly who joined him. "Uh, this is my wife, Lilly."

"A pleasure to meet you, sirs," she said.

"Oh, such a beauty! My name is Proetus!"

"And I am Acrisius!" Acrisius said.

Arthur chuckled. "I see you two haven't changed much," Arthur said to the two brothers.

"No, he's still a lizard," Proetus said.

"Coward," Acrisius said.

"Gerbil."

"Mommy's boy."

"Manatee."

"Effluent."

"Discharge."

"Milksop!"

"You already said that!"

Acrisius pointed at Proetus. "I did not...you're a milksop."

"Well, you are all chatter and no testes, dear Brother!" Proetus snapped and pointed to Helen and walked towards her. "Helen, I will make you love me if it is the last thing I do, and," Acrisius, Arthur amd Lilly followed him," to prove how suitable I am, to make a happy and stable life with," the brothers approached two barrels," I shall throw myself over the waterfall in just a barrel."

Acrisius pointed to Proetus as the brother in the blue coat climbed in. "And so shall I, just to demonstrate how little your," Acrisius climbed into his own, "feeble gestures mean, you homunculus!"

"Arthur, please, come do the honors, and make sure we uh..."

"Oh, you silly little tapeworm of a man," Acrisius proclaimed as Arthur put the top on Proetus' barrel.

"Follow me."

"Follow you?" Acrisius stood up. "I was born first!" He got back down. Helen, I love you." Arthur secured the other top. "And Brother, you're living proof of God's remarkable sense of humor!"

"Oh Arthur," Lilly said. "Don't tell me you're goin' to allow this! They'll be killed!"

Arthur laughed. "They'll ne fine. Sean, you wanna push the other one in?" Sean giggled, spit on his hands, and shoved Acrisius in. Proteus was pushed by Arthur and both the barrels went towards the waterfall. "Good luck, crazy bastards..."

Helen and the rest ran to the cliff overlooking the waterfall as the barrels went down. "Oh my Lord!" Helen cried out, holding her head. "The fools! The silly fools! I cannot believe they've done this!"

Lilly shook her head. "What a bunch of clout heads," she uttered.

"Come on," said Arthur. "Let's go try and find them." Arthur mounted up. "Okay, get on your horses, guys."

The rest got on their horses and Helen stared at Brian and James. Lilly laughed. "No need to worry, miss. They're perfectly safe to be around. Brian, James, search."

The boys went running down the trail and everyone followed. "Do you think they're alright?" Helen asked.

"I'm sure they're fine, Miss Helen," Sean said.

"You want 'em to be alright?" Arthur asked her.

"Of course! Whatever do you mean?" Helen asked Arthur with a little squeal in her voice.

"I was just thinkin'...it might be easier for you if...if only one of 'em was...you catch my meanin'?"

"Sir, that is a terrible thing to say."

"You got a favorite?" Lilly chuckled and smacked her husband's arm lightly. "Ow," Arthur said playfully. "What?"

"That is a terrible thing to say," she giggled.

Sadie and Sean laughed. "I like them both...equally," Helen said.

"Eh, them maybe fate might help you out," Arthur said with a shrug.

"It is not like that, mister. Not like that at all."

"Sure," Arthur said with a disbelieving tone.

Lilly giggled and smacked Arthur again. "Tá tú chomh dona." _[You are so bad.]_

Arthur let out a deep chuckle. "Is breá leat é nuair atá mé dona." _[You love it when I'm bad.]_

Lilly eyed him affectionately. "I do."

They both leaned and gave each other quick pecks. Brian and James barked and Arthur went over to t hem with the rest to find Proetus and Acrisius soaked and laying on the shore. Brian and James were nuzzling them both. "Here you are."

Helen got off and ran to them. "Acrisius! Proetus! What have you done?" she scolded them both.

Acrisius coughed. "Brother, are you there?" he asked as Arthur went to him

"Acri, is that you?" Proetus asked with a high pitched voice. "I've had the wind knocked out of me."

Acrisius got on his knees and pointed. "I thought you were a goner."

"It's a miracle we're alive."

"Silly, silly boys!" Helen scolded once more as Acrisius slowly crawled to his brother. "You nearly died! For me!"

"She's right," Acrisius said meekly. "Dear brother what fools we have been!"

Proetus pointed at Acri. "You're the fool...but a brave one."

Acri pointed again. "You might be dense, but you are the noblest man I know!"

Proetus sat up, still pointing. "You are a lion!"

"Giant!"

"You're an earth shaker!"

Acrisius threw up his arms. "World conqueror!"

Proetus went on his knees, his arms wide out. "Let's not let anything come between us again!"

"Never!" They both hugged.

"Boys?" Helen said.

"Good lady, adieu," Acri said as they both helped each other up.

"Bewitch some other milksops...we will have none of it," Proetus said.

"But, I-I thought that..." Helen stammered.

"Buh!" Acrisius interrupted. "Before this siren calls us to the rocks again, let us away from here."

"You lead the way, brother," Proetus motioned. "The West awaits!"

"Boys!" Helen called out as they left. "Boys!" She sighed softly.

Lilly and Sean ould barely hold in their laughter as Arthur walked over to Helen's side. "That is quite sone suitors you've picked there," Arthur said with a small chuckle.

"I was tryin' to stop 'em from killin' themselves. They won't last a week without me," Helen complained.

"Hmm, probably not." He faced her. "But you'll have an easier time."

"I guess I will. So long," she said as she headed to her horse. Arthur and the rest went in the direction of their horses. "Oh, I wasn't tryin' to lead 'em on, you know? It was just...excitin'." Helen grabbed her mount and turned it around. "The smartest men I knew with positively the least sense," Helen said as she climbed on.

"Heh, that's usually the way it works." Arthur gave her a lazy salute. "Good luck."

Once Helen had rode away, Lilly and Sean fell down laughing. "Oh good God, that was funnier than that...that trio of misfits goin' to Saint Denis for a show!" Sean laughed.

Lilly nodded as Arthur cackled and Sadie giggled. "Oh, I wish you had seen Mr. Châtenay's art show, though! You would have died laughing at the crowd."

Arthur shook his head. "I'm kinda glad he didn't though."

"Why?" Sean asked as he helped his deirfiúr up.

"Well, that's because..." Lilly went to her husband. "Arthur and I got our portrait done by the man."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Lilly? I told you not to tell anyone that.".

"Oops. I forgot. Sorry," Lilly said with a cringe.

"What's so bad about gettin' painted?" Sadie asked.

Arthur started to blush. "Well...we, uh..." he sighed. "We was naked," he mumbled under his breath.

"You was what?"

Sean grinned evily. "Oh boy...you're blushin', Englishman. Was you both nude?"

"...Yes," Arthur replied.

Sean and Sadie started laughing hysterically. "Oh my God! Lilly, how did you convince him to be painted naked?!" Sean asked delightfully.

Lilly beamed at her husband. "With my smile, of course."

* * *

The four of them and the wolves made it back to camp after another day of riding. Lilly was now well into her twenty-first week of pregnancy. And of course, as soon as they got back, her Braxton Hicks started up. Arthur insisted she rest up before doing anything particularly strenuous or sneaky, and she agreed to a power nap. As she fell asleep, Arthur was beside her as she slept and he trailed his fingers along her belly. The babies inside started moving around and he saw the fleetest of movements in her belly. He chuckled and kissed it a few times.

"Hey there, Aoífe and Arthur Jr. It's me, your daddy. I um...ahem, look, more than likely, I won't get to meet you two, but I want you to know that, well, I love you both very much. And so does your mother. Your mother wanted babies more than she realized, I think, and I'm happy to have given her you both. Now, I got three things to tell you. One, don't give your momma too much trouble. Two..." Arthur let out a shaky breath. "Tell your momma you love her every day. And three...for god sake's, please don't make your momma mad. She has the scariest shout I've ever heard in my life."

Not that he'd ever been scared of her or her shout, of course. He gave Lilly's pregnant stomach one last kiss before leaving Lilly to rest. He walked out of the tent and look around, seeing Dutch surrounded by the "rat pack" at his tent. He needed to have a chat with him and it couldn't wait.

"So why are these two still here?" Arthur asked Dutch, direction a hand to Cleet and Joe.

"Old pals of Micah's," Dutch replied.

"They're gettin' real comfortable."

"We need guns for what's comin'. Cleet and Joe know how to fight. It's lucky I bumped into 'em."

Arthur chuckled. "We already got guns. We got Sean, Lenny, Charles, Bill, Javier, John...how many more guns do we need? What is goin' on, Dutch? What is happenin' to us?" Arthur pointed at Dutch briefly. "What's happenin' to you?"

Micah closed in on Arthur. "You show him some respect."

"Excuse me?" Arthur asked of Micah.

"Mr. Van der Linde! Mr. Morgan! Charles!" Eagle Flies came riding into camp with a whole bunch of other Indians dressed in war paint. Everyone started making their way to the group. "They tried to kill my people for oil! For oil! Today we ride once more! Ride with me, ride with us! Ride with us against the factory!"

"I love your courage, son." Dutch sayd, outstretching his arms with a smile. "It is a thing of great beauty!"

"Stop!" Rains Fall came riding up to the group. "Everyone stop!" He halted his horse and walked to Eagle Flies. "My son, my last son...don't. When I was your age, I fought. I saw death. I have killed. The men I knew were slain. My first born, your brother, had his head smashed in my a drunken soldier. My wife had her throat slit. We made peace. I knew not to trust, yet I had no choice."

"What's goin' on?" Lilly asked Arthur, running up to his side.

"Well, looks like one of your visions is about to play out," he replied.

"Maybe you were right," Rains Fall continued. "Maybe the slow death is worse than a fast one. Maybe none of these men are good. Maybe a world in which they came to us is a world that we cannot endure. But endure we must."

"Father, you are tired," Eagle Flies remarked.

"Do not die for pride, my son. We have suffered too much on this trick. The earth, the water, they have no pride. They endure, and we must endure. My only boy...my precious boy...do not mistake my strength for weakness. As your chief, I implore you."

Eagle Flies glared at Rains Fall. "Your words mean nothing to me, Father."

"Don't..."

Lilly ran up to Eagle Flies. "Eagle Flies, please heed your father! This is not going to end well for you or your men!"

Eagle Flies ignored her. "Ride with me! Now."

"Stop!" Rains Fall begged as his natives began to ride away. "Please...stop." Rains Fall looked at Lilly. "Please, Mrs. Morgan. After you and your husband helped me, after we spoke, this is just a trap. My son, my people, will all die."

"You both helped this fella, Lilly?" Dutch asked her as he neared her.

"Please."

"Yes, we did," Lilly said. "Is that a problem?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"What else you two been doin' behind Dutch's back?" Micah asked her.

"What?!" Lilly snapped. "It wasn't like that, you asshole. Watch your fucking mouth!"

"The wars are over," Rains Fall said and Arthur looked at him. "We have lost. These young men will be annihilated. Please."

Lilly put a hand on Rains Fall's shoulder. "I'm gonna head there now, and I'll do my best to make sure your son or your people don't die." Lilly was surrounded by white light and Adair came out. "You have my word." Adair's wings flapped and she flew up above the ground. She turned and flew away.

Arthur watched her and chuckled, then looked at Rains Fall. "I'll see what I can do." He glanced at Charles. "Charles?" He nodded. "Who else will come with me?" Arthur barked as he walked to Rose.

"Oh, I'll ride, Arthur," Dutch said. "Who knows what other secrets I'll learn about. Who else?"

"I will," Sadie said.

"And me," said John.

"Us too!" Lenny and Sean both said.

"Me too," said Javier.

"Agh, and me, I guess," Bill snarled.

They all got on their horses. "Alright, let's ride out," Dutch shouted. "What else have you and Lilly been doin' behind my back, Arthur?"

"I was tryin' to stop this mess from gettin' any worse. Lilly just wanted to help people."

"Why the hell would they attack the oil fields?" John asked.

"What do you mean? It's perfect," Dutch claimed.

Arthur gaped at Dutch. "This was your idea?!" he growled angrily.

"Partly. The arny, the government, the industrialists, they've taken everything from these people. Wouldn't you wanna fight back?"

"You've handed them a death sentence! Eagle Flies is gonna get shot! Lilly saw it happen!"

Dutch looked over his shoulder at Arthur. "She did?"

"Yes! By Colonel Favours!"

"He's gonna be there at the oil fields?"

"Yes!"

* * *

Adair landed on a cliff nearby the burning oil fields and stared at it. "What do we do here, Lilly?" she asked her other half.

 _"Help them fight. Make sure Eagle Flies doesn't get killed_ _,"_ Lilly replied.

"Well, we cannot have my future lover be killed."

 _"Shut up."_ Adair laughed and flew towards the oil fields. She landed in and started attacking all the soldiers in her way. She eventually sa Eagle Flies and paused for a moment to admire him and his form. _"Adair, keep fighting!"_

"But he is so-" Adair was interrupted by someone hitting her from behind. She turned and swiped the man attacking her out of the way into the fiery oil. Adair heard him scream in pain and looked back at Eagle Flies. "Handsome."

_"Let's just make sure he stays alive."_

"Of course." Adair pulled out her bow and started shooting the soldiers down. There were many to kill but that didn't deter Adair from her quest. After shooting another man, Adair appeared behind her mission subject. "Eagle Flies."

He turned and looked at Adair with a bloodthirsty smile. "Glad you could make it."

* * *

"It's...not as bad as I thought it would be," Charles said, looking through his binoculars.

Arthur looked through his own. "We gotta help these men," Dutch exclaimed.

"Can anyone see Eagle Flies?" Arthur asked.

"There, going across the walkway with Adair," Charles replied. "She's been doin' most of the work, I bet."

Arthur saw the walkway as both Eagle Flies and Adair were taking down men. "You got what you wanted, Dutch."

"You comin', Arthur?" Dutch asked him.

While Arthur was fairly certain Adair had Eagle Flies covered, there was the fact that his wife, Lilly, was down there too. He lowered his binoculars and looked at Dutch. "I'm gonna go help out Adair and Eagle Flies. If you go," he pointed to the factory," and distract the army and let me get to them."

"...Have it your way. The rest of you, ride with me. Let's meet up at the factory. Let's ride! Hyah!"

Dutch and most of the gang took off, except for Sean, Sadie and Charles. "Go with him, try and help there," Arthur said to Charles, Sadie, and Sean. "I'm better off alone."

Charles unholstered his gun. "We're riding with you."

"Yes, that's my sister down there," Sean said.

"Come on, then. Hyah!" Arthur said. Him and the rest of the gang, along with some braves, headed down the hill towards the factory.

* * *

Adair sliced off a man's head as she stood behind Eagle Flies. "There are not too many enemies left, but I fear reinforcements may be coming. Are you up to the task, Eagle Flies?"

Eagle Flies looked at her. "Why are you guarding me?"

"Becausr Lilly had a vision of you being shot by Colonel Favours here." Adair went and stabbed another man in the chest, yanking him off her sword as he died.

"Oh. Well, you have my thanks, Lilly."

_"You're welcome."_

"She says you are welcome."

Adair and Eagle Flies killed a few more men and ran inside a shack. "We're surrounded!" Eagle Flies yelled.

"You stay here. I got this," Adair ordered. Adair opened the door and slammed it shut behind her as more soldiers showed up and shot at her. "Alright, which one of you boys is next?" she asked, holding her sword on her arm and crouching.

* * *

Arthur shot some men on the tower as he closed in. He killed a few more on the walkway and ran toward it. He ran across the bridge just as Eagle Flies came charging out of a building with an army man on him. Arthur fired and a bullet went into the soldier's head. Eagle Flies tossed the dead body off his own and saw his savior. "Arthur," he said.

"Get up," Arthur said.

"Thank you, all of you." Eagle Flies stopd with a rifle in his hands.

"We need to go," Charles implored.

"Where are my men? Where did Adair go?"

"We saw some fighting by the factory. That's where Dutch has gone," Charles pointed out.

Just then some more men appeared in the catwalk but Adair came flying in and knocked two of them off. She sliced through another and twisted around, kicking a fourth victim on their back and stabbing him in the chest. She stood and shoved her sword into another man's stomach, and then she pulled the sword out and pushed the military soldier off the wooden bridge. Adair rested the sword on her shoulder and smiled at Arthur. "Did you miss me?" she asked him.

"Of course."

"Any men we see, we must save them." Eagle Flies smiled up at Adair. "You're not bad...for a woman," he said jokingly.

Adair laughed and jumped off the bridge. More soldiers came up behind her and she turned with a flap of her wings. She knocked some of them down with the force of it and threw some knives at the ones who fell. Each weapon hit their mark perfectly. She stabbed one in the gut, then pivoted around and decapitated another. One man grabbed her but she shoved him off and he went flying towards Arthur who shot and killed him. Adair disappeared around the corner as more shots were fired. Two soldiers went flying into view and all the men, and Sadie shot them down. They pursued and shot and fought as Adair led them through battle, and a train came charging in on the tracks.

"Army train, look out!" Eagle flies yelled.

Arthur and the rest continued the onslaught of bloodshed, though Adair took the bulk of the army down. The train stopped and Arthur heard the sound of a Gatling gun being fired, but he watched in awe as Adair walked on by, the bullets only seeming to tickle her. She laughed maniacally, jumped up, flew along, and landed in front of the gun. The soldier manning it screeched as Adair grabbed him by the head and tossed him away like garbage. Adair then smashed the gun into oblivion and Arthur laughed as he saw Adair go back to fighting. He made more headshots by the seconds, and soon the only enemies left were over by the factory and coming down from the hill. Arthur saw Paytah being assaulted and so he fired and hit the soldier in the head.

"Thank you," Paytah said gratefully.

They moved up and the battle kept going. Eventually the enemy had been defeated and Arthur went over to Dutch. "I don't see none of them standin' no more!" Bill shouted happily.

"So good of you to join us," Dutch said to Arthur as they squatted down behind some barrels. Eagle Flies and Adair came running and they crouched down. "Hello, son. Hello, Adair."

"Hey," Eagle Flies responded.

"Hello, Dutch," said Adair.

"Saved your life?" Dutch asked Eagle Flies.

"They both did," Eagle Flies replied.

"You're quite the hero, Arthur. Ain't you?"

"Just a regular good guy. Same as always," Arthur responded knowingly.

"What is it with you, Arthur? What is it?"

"I don't get you. I don't get you no more."

"Ah the doubting, the doubting." Dutch sighed. "Come on! Get him out of here! All of you!" Dutch yelled, standing up and looking at Arthur before walking to the factory. "Come on. Let's go finish things."

"Finish what?" Arthur asked as he got up.

"Ah, the doubts! You know why I wanted them to attack this place?"

"I have no idea," Arthur replied as he followed Dutch.

"Javier, you get them and go."

"Until I find all my men, I'm not leaving," Eagle Flies said.

"As you wish. Rest of you, get outta here!"

"I'm staying with you," Charles said to Eagle Flies.

"As am I," Adair said, helping Eagle Flies up. "I shall help you find your men."

Dutch shot a lock on the door. "We're gettin' our ticket outta here." He kicked the door in and Arthur went in behind him.

* * *

"Thank you, Adair," Eagle Flies said. "Thank you, Charles."

Sean came running up. "Do you need help?"

Adair studied Sean for a moment. "No, you should leave with the rest. Charles, Eagle Flies and I have this task in hand." Adair put a hand on his shoulder. "You fought well today, Sean. Your wife will be pleased."

Sean giggled. "I hope so."

Adair smiled then looked back at Eagle Flies with a smirk as Sean went running. "And you, Eagle Flies. You were not bad...for a human."

Eagle Flies laughed and closed in on her. "I appreciate that."

Adair looked into his eyes. They were a beautiful chocolate brown and Adair found she could get lost in them if she looked long enough.

 _"Ugh, Adair..."_ Lilly said.

Adair sighed. "Well, shall we go find your men?" Adair asked Eagle Flies.

Charles chuckled and left the two of them alone to go look. Eagle Flies stared back into her blue eyes and smiled. "Do I still smell like summer grass?"

Adair leaned in and inhaled his scent. "No. You smell like a man who has just finished a battle. Sweat and blood and...euphoria."

Eagle Flies leaned in close. "You smell like that too. I like it."

Adair giggled and sighed. "You are a bold man, to be this close to a goddess. Do you know how old I am, young man?"

"I can imagine. Too old for me?"

"Definitely not, unless you think being five thousand years old is too old."

"I think you look fantastic for your age. You must know a lot of things."

Adair chuckled and kissed his cheek. "Let us go find your men, hmm? Then perhaps I can show you just how much I know...in a particularly carnal way."

"I'd like that."

Adair stepped away from him with a smirk. _"If you're goin' to have sex with him, please make sure I'm not awake."_

Adair laughed as she looked around for fallen braves. "Ní féidir liom gealltanas a thabhairt sin." _[I can't promise that.]_

_"Fine, but keep your hormones in for now. If he gets shot, you won't have the chance to show him how much carnal knowledge you have."_

She joined in with Paytah and Eagle Flies, looking for the fallen and the living. Luckily, barely any of the Indians had died in the raid, but the ones who did pained Eagle Flies all the same. Some had been wounded, but the wounds would heal in time. Night was falling on them as Adair helped the hurt men get on their horses. When that was done, she looked around for Eagle Flies bit couldn't find him. Uh oh.

* * *

"We need to go, Arthur!" Dutch yelled as soldier shot at them both from outside the factory. Arthur went running through and almost fell down as a soldier tried to tackle him but Arthur shot him. "We gotta get the hell outta here!"

Dutch was waiting for Arthur by the back door. Arthur went to him but a bullet hit a pipe above him and hot steam went into his face. It made Arthur fall down and he groaned from the pain. Three soldiers came running in. "We got one! A white one!"

"Uh! Dutch," Arthur moaned out meekly. One of the soldiers got on top if him and held a knife above him. "I need help!"

Arthur saw Dutch leave out of the corner of his eye. Did his mentor just walk out on him? Abandon him? Leave him to die? Arthue held the arms of his assailant up, but he was losing strength. Suddenly shots were fired and Eagle Flies came running in with a gun. He shot the man on top of Arthur down and looked around for other enemies. He went to go help Arthur up when another shot sounded. Eagle Flies looked behind him and Arthur saw Adair with a gun aimed. She had just shot Colonel Favours dead. Eagle Flies was safe. Arthur rested his head on the floor. Adair kept the gun and looked them both over.

"I could get used to this weapon. Are you both alright?"

Arthur nodded as Eagle Flies helped him up. "Yes. Thanks, Eagle Flies."

"You saved my life more than once. And you," Eagle Flies looked at Adair, "you just saved mine. How can I repay you?"

Adair gave him a seductive smile and walked to him. "I expect a good, hmm...Lilly, are you sure "fucking" is the appropriate word?"

Arthur guffawed and Eagle Flies' eyes went wide. "Holy shit," Arthur said and all three left through the back door.


	72. The Orb

"We need to go," Dutch said to Arthur, Adair and Eagle Flies.

"You," Arthur said, pointing to Dutch angrily. "You ran away!"

"I did no such thing. Don't be a fool. They could be back here any minute. We did it, gentlemen...we got some money," Arthur walked over to Dutch as Dutch pointed backwards, "and with the train job, well, we got a whole lot of money. Come on...everything is comin' together." Dutch aimed a finger at his temple. "Exactly as I planned."

"I should take the boy back to his father," Arthur said.

"As you wish...usually is, nowadays."

"Sure."

Eagle Flies loaded himself on the back of Rose as Adair flew into the air. "Come on, we gotta get back to camp and prepare. Let's ride," Dutch said as Arthur saddled up.

"I'll be back when I can."

"I'll stay with you," Charles said to Arthur.

"And me, of course," Paytah said.

"Me too," Adair said overhead. "Although, if I could ride with one of you, that would be preferable."

Charles patted Taima on the back and Adair settled on the horse's rump. Her wings folded into her back and she smiled at Eagle Flies with a wink. The native smiled back at her knowingly and Arthur rolled his eyes. "Oh for chrissakes..."

The people rode out along the road away from the factory. "Arthur, what was that you were saying about Dutch running away?"

"I swear, he left me in there to be killed."

Adair gasped as she clung to Charles. "No, he would not do such a thing. Would he?"

"I think he would, and he did."

"My men...we must go back for the bodies," Eagle Flies interjected.

"We will," Paytah said. "We should gather the others first."

"My friend, I'm sorry. About this...about all of this," Arthur said regretfully.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"You know, Dutch...Dutch is...I guess my thinkin' is he used you. He wasn't tryin' to help anyone but himself and his own crazy principles."

"We're grown men. Nobody made us do anything."

"Maybe I'm talkin' for my people as much as for yours. We saw he turned crazy and...we couldn't believe it and we followed him anyway. Things should never have gone this far," Arthur said.

"You've seen the situation in the reservation," Paytah spat out. "Better to die fighting than sick and weak."

"Maybe. But you...your people deserved better. You okay, Charles? Adair?"

"I suppose," Adair said. "The Dutch I have come to know is different than the one I first met. What was it you called it? A quick decline? Perhaps if we find that object in the cave and destroy it, all will be better. And Lilly agrees."

"What object?" Charles asked her.

"Lilly had a vision of an orb in the cave. It holds a dark magic within it. Perhaps it is the key to Micah's influence on Dutch. And it may be the proof we need, Arthur."

"Maybe," Arthur said with skepticism.

Charles sighed. "I don't know. All this death and for what? Just so we can have enough money to be able to run away from what we've done?"

Arthur let out a sad sigh. "There used to be some...some reason to it. Lines that couldn't be crossed. We even helped some folk. Those lines have been gone for some time now."

"The time has come for us to draw our own lines, Arthur. Decide where we go from here."

"I swear, back there...Dutch just stood and watched. If it wasn't for Eagle Flies, I'd be..."

"I know! I feel like he's descended into the kind of man he told us never to be."

Adair shifted into Lilly. "It is not his fault! It's the god damn snake and rat and black magic, you two! Don't you realize that?"

"I don't know," Arthur interrupted. "Maybe...he's just become more who he really is."

"You can't believe that, Arthur!"

"I don't know anymore, Lilly. I just feel like a fool."

"That money, those bonds, whatever it is," Charles began, "I don't want a cent. There's too much blood on it."

Lilly sighed. "You have a point. That was extreme, even for Da. He has changed, but just...when I say if I destroy that orb, he won't be that way anymore."

They ended up at the reservation and Lilly climbed off Charles. "Where you goin'?" Arthur asked.

"I must speak with Hawk Eye. He'll know what I should do."

"He isn't here," Rains Fall said as he left his tipi.

Lilly stopped and looked at Rains Fall. "Well, where is he?"

Rains Fall frowned. "He's passed, Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly gasped. "How?"

"Army men came and beat some of our elders. Hawk Eye was one of them."

Lilly put a hand on Rains Fall's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Rains Fall. He was a good man."

"Yes, he was. But before ge passed, he wanted you to have something." Rains Fall pulled out a hawk feather trinket of some sort. "Something to remember him by."

Lilly examined it and smiled sadly. "Thank you, sir. I'll cherish it. But I mist ask, what will you do now?"

"They must move," Charles said. "And fast. I'll stay and help them."

"Yeah, I'll stay too," Arthur said softly.

"No, my friend, you have others who need you. Good people. Both of you."

Lilly hugged Charles. "You take care of yourself, Charles."

"You too, Lilly."

Charles and Arthur hugged as well. They said their goodbyes and the couple walked to Rose. "Well, let's go home, Lilly," Arthur said.

Lilly mounted up behind Arthur and kissed his neck as they rode off. "You know, Adair played a joke on me."

"She did?" Arthur said with a laugh.

"Yes. Made me believe she had a crush on Mr. Pearson because she "liked men with girth". Can you believe that?"

Arthur cackled. "And you fell for that?"

"Well why else would she fuck with him so much?" Arthur cackled again. As they crossed the bridge out of Wapiti, Arthur started coughing and wheezing. Lilly pat his back. "You okay?"

Arthur stopped the horse and got off. "I think...I dunno." He coughed and hacked and Lilly got off the horse too. She looked at him seriously and Arthur abruptly collapsed to the ground.

"Shite. Arthur," she said, looking down at him. "Breathe, babe, breathe."

Arthur continued to hack up blood and phlegm until he lost consciousness.

* * *

Arthur slowly woke up in a tent with Lilly sleeping next to him, her back to him. It was morning. He groaned as he sat up, coughing a little as he did. Lilly rolled over and woke up herself. "You feelin' okay?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said weakly. "Actually, I feel like shit."

Lilly got up and looked around for something until she grabbed her satchel. "Here," she said, pulling out a small bottle. "It's Rains Fall's recipe. Drink it."

Arthur took it, popped off the cork, and drank. It was extremely bitter but he felt a little better as it went into his stomach. He gave her back the bottle and sighed. "Well, that was fun," he joked.

Lilly sighed and looked at him. "Adair went back to Wapiti in the middle of the night. Said she wanted to "claim her payment" from Eagle Flies." Lilly looked down shamefully.

Arthur started laughing. "Did she really?"

"Yes. I..." Lilly shuddered. "I even saw part of it, much to my chagrin."

Arthur caressed her face with a chuckle. "I ain't mad, if that's what you're thinkin'. It was Adair, not you."

Lilly nodded and kissed his palm. "You feelin' up to goin' back home?"

"Yes, I think so."

Lilly handed him some cooked venison. "Have somethin' to eat. Let's go."

Arthur chewed the meat as they got out and started breaking down camp. They packed up and left on Rose. When they got back to camp, Brian and James were waiting for them and Sadie was throwing knives at a tree. She beamed at the three.

"It took you long enough to get back. Where did you two go?" Sadie asked.

Lilly sighed and got off Rose. "Arthur had an attack on the way back and passed out, so we had to spend the night roughin' it."

Sadie frowned. "I'm sorry." She confronted Lilly. "Your father is not in the best of moods this morning, Lilly."

Lilly sighed. "I would imagine so. He's always in a bad mood these days."

Arthur hitched up Rose and walked up to the three women. "Mrs. Adler."

"Arthur," Sadie said.

Lilly sighed. "I'm gonna go have a chat with Da. You comin'?"

"Yes," Arthur replied.

Lilly scratched Brian and James behind their ears and walked over to Dutch's tent with Arthur. He was inside cleaning his gun. "Well, at least you ain't run off," he said.

"What you talkin' about?" Arthur asked Dutch.

Dutch looked up at Arthur and Lilly. "Pearson left...old Uncle, the traitors. Both gone at dawn. They said to young Tilly they were runnin' to save themselves. I think Mary-Beth, Kieran and Lenny left as well."

Lilly raised a brow. "Lenny? Really?"

Arthur shook his head. "So it goes."

"They are god damn cowards, you two." Dutch stood up. "Cowards. Of all the time we spent, to run off..."

"Well, I guess they don't wanna die, Dutch."

"Ain't nobody gonna..." Dutch dragged both of them to the side of the tent and Arthur started coughing. "This is a tough time, and," Dutch motioned to Arthur, "you ain't, you ain't doin' too well, but..." Arthur waved him off, "we, our community, we will survive. They will not crush us."

"I hope so," Arthur said roughly. "But...if we let Jack and the women free...well, then maybe we can..."

"There ain't no freedom for no one in this country no more, Arthur. One more big score, we got enough money to leave. All this turmoil has the army and Pinkertons spinnin'. We take a boat and slip away."

"I don't know what you're sayin', Dutch, but it seems like I've heard it all before, and besides that, well..." Arthur looked at Lilly. "Lilly?"

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I sent a letter a while back to Patrick askin' for help. I got a letter back from him a few days ago...he's comin' with money to get us out of here."

Dutch's mouth went agape. "What? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I didn't want anyone to get their hopes up in case he said no, but I'm supposed to meet him in Saint Denis once he's there."

"And how long will that be? How long until you meet him?"

"I dunno, two weeks?"

"We don't have time to wait for him, Lilly. We gotta do this score now. Just one more train."

Arthur scoffed. "And there's always a god damn train!" Arthur started coughing again.

"Arthur!" Dutch put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "This is different. We know this is full of cash. Army payroll. Money and supplies to repair the bridge that you blew. This is all goin' to plan. We rob Uncle Sam, and we leave." Dutch chuckled. "The poetry of it all. What do you think?"

Arthur and Lilly looked at each other. "It sounds wonderful," Arthur said as he looked back at Dutch. "Hell, yeah, but...you know the women and the children...a-and John a-a-and his family, I'm afraid I have to insist. I mean, we gotta let 'em go. 'Cause if the Pinkertons come through again, they will kill everyone."

"John?" Dutch asked. "Insist?"

Arthur paused for a moment. "Yeah. Insist."

"...Of course, pal..." Dutch put his hands up. "Whatever you think is best. I will," Dutch out a hand on Arthur's shoulder, "see to it. Hmm? Now, you two, we gonna rob a train?"

"Sure."

The three started walking from the tent, but Lilly stopped and looked at the cave entrance. "We will survive. We will flourish. We got..." Dutch looked at Lilly. "Lilly, you comin'?"

Lilly looked back at Dutch. "Yes." She walked to him. "Let's go rob a feckin' train."

Dutch laughed as he walked to the camp fire. "That a girl! We have work to do, my friends. Let's go. Come on, we are gonna borrow a little money from Old Uncle Sam and be out of his hair, once and for all."

* * *

Lilly looked back at the cave again before mounting up. "Ow!" she said, grabbing her belly. "Ow ow ow!"

Arthur stopped what he was doing and ran to her. "Are you okay?"

Lilly shook her head and whined. "No."

Arthur helped her down and picked her up in his arms. "Okay, you are stayin' here, darlin'."

Lilly pouted. "But I...oowwww..."

"Is she okay?" Dutch asked.

"She's havin' false labor pains, is all."

Arthur quickly ran her over to their tent and laid her down. "There we go, now you stay and rest, Lilly."

Lilly frowned. "But I wanna go rob a train...ow..."

Arthur chuckled and tucked her in. I know, but you need rest."

Lilly sighed and snuggled into the covers. "I guess..."

Arthur kissed her softly. "We'll be back before you know it."

Lilly pecked his lips. "Okay."

Arthur left the tent amd Lilly sighed, waiting for them to leave. "Are you sure we should be doin' this?" Lilly asked out loud.

 _"Yes. It may be the only opportunity we will have to find this orb_ _,"_ said Adair.

"I know."

Lilly got out of bed and opened the flaps a little. All the men were leaving. Once they were gone, Lilly grabbed a lantern, got outside and power walked to the cave. She was stopped by Hosea. "Hey, I thought you weren't feeling well?"

"I lied. I gotta get inside the cave."

"For that dark magic thing?"

"Yes."

Hosea rubbed the back of his head and looked around. "Well," he looked back at Lilly, "you better hurry up before they get back."

* * *

"John, you go get that dynamite, we'll meet back up outside Saint Denis," Dutch said as the posse made their way down the road.

"I'll go with him," Arthur offered.

"As you wish."

"C'mon, it's this way," John said, banking right off the regular road. Arthur followed behind him. "I hid the wagon down here after we blew the bridge."

"This us one big god damn group of us to be ridin' back into Saint Denis," Arthur commented in disbelief.

"Yeah, and I heard the Pinkertons have pretty much taken over Van Horn. Moved a whole heap of men in there. Things are closin' in fast."

"Shit," Arthur exasperated.

* * *

Lilly went on through the cave, looking for any sign of the black orb. She'd been looking for a while now and she hadn't found anything so far. She bet, abruptly, that it was near the back of the cave so she went further in.

 _"You will hear the orb when you are close,"_ said Adair.

"Well what kind of noise will it be makin'?" Lilly asked Adair.

_"A sort of thrumming sound."_

Lilly trekked even further, and as she neared the back of the cave, she did, in fact, hear a "thrumming" sound. She went in the direction of the noise.

* * *

"So listen," John started after Arthur grabbed the dynamite. "Abigail just told me, the money? It's hidden in the caves at Beaver Hollow."

"What?" Arthur said incredulously as they headed back towards the main road.

"Yeah, so much for never hidin' it near camp. Dutch was gettin' even sloppier than we thought."

"Are Abigail and Jack ready to leave?"

"I think so."

"Okay. Look, though. Lilly has money comin' from Patrick soon. To get us outta here. That might ve a while, though, so whatever happens with this job today," Arthur coughed a bit, "wherever Dutch and them go next, we're gettin' you the hell outta here. We're gonna get you the money you need. Knowin' the three of you got out, as well as Lilly, well, maybe all this'll still mean somethin'." Arthur wheezed and coughed. "Sean, Karen, Tilly and Susan, too. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Not you?"

Arthur sighed deeply. "I reckon I ain't got long. Maybe I can get out too, but my biggest concern is you, your family, my wife, and the rest of the people I already listed."

"You've always had my back, Arthur."

"Er, perhaps not always."

"Why do you think you won't make it to Ireland?"

"I might. I dunno, I just got a feelin' I won't."

* * *

Lilly looked even deeper into the cave until she came across a wagon. There it was. A black orb humming with dark magic. Lilly went to reach but Adair stopped her.

_"Wait! Do not touch it with your bare hands!"_

"Why not?"

_"It could affect you."_

"Alright, well..." Lilly put the lantern down and took off her jacket. As she reached for it, she heard people running towards her and she turned with her gun out. It was Hosea, Jack, Karen, and Tilly.

"The Pinkertons found us! They got Abigail!" Karen yelled.

"Shite!" Lilly stood up and holstered her gun. "There's a back entrance to this cave somewhere. Find it. Adair and I will hold them off."

"But Lilly!" Hosea barked.

Light illuminated around Lilly and when it disappeared, Adair was standing in Lilly's place. "Hosea, get them out of here."

Hosea and the rest started looking around for the back entrance as Adair made her way back up towards the front of the cave. It didn't take long for her to run into some men, and it didn't take long for her to dispose of them both. Another set of men came through and Lilly smashed one head in with her hands while stabbing the other with her sword. Adair stood her ground as more men came, and Adair engaged them her bow, shooting each one down as they neared her. But then Agent Milton came out from the darkness, Abigail in custody and holding a gun to her head.

"Adair. Enough. Stop, or the woman dies."

Adair shut her eyes. "Shite."

* * *

Arthur and the rest came riding up the path when he saw Tilly with Jack and Hosea with Karen.

"They came and took Abigail and Adair!" Tilly shouted. The gang stopped as the four escapists neared them. "I got Jack, Lilly and Adair helped us get out but she and Abigail were captured!"

"Who did?!" Arthur barked.

"Agent Milton and his men!" Hosea said. Karen got off the horse and ran to Sean, who also dismounted and hugged her.

"You alright, love?" Sean asked Karen.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"They took 'em both to Van Horn to be put on a boat! Abigail's gonna be tried for murder, but I don't know what'll happen to Lilly!" Tilly cried.

"I..." Dutch shook his head. "I am sorry to hear that."

"We gotta let 'em go," Micah said. Dutch looked at him. "John's uh...well," Micah looked at Jack. "Sorry, son. Without John, Abigail is just bait and who knows where Lilly will end up. Got a bunch of money, Dutch. They're both just girls. Lilly's pregnant. They won't do nothin' to them. But, me and the boys know, we need to keep ridin' on this one, Dutch." Dutch kept looking between Arthur and Micah. "You know it, every man here knows it."

"I don't know that!" Arthur snapped. "So we just gonna let the boy be made an orphan? And let's not forget my wife, your fuckin' daughter, has been captured too! You gonna stand for that?"

"It-it ain't like that!" Dutch interrupted.

"Well what is it like?!"

"I wanna live, cowpoke. I still got the choice. Dutch, they're just girls," Micah said.

Dutch looked conflicted for a moment, but then he narrowed his eyes. "You're right."

"Dutch!" Arthur said, dismounting.

"Micah..." Dutch held up his hand. "It pains me to say it, Arthur, but he is right."

"Dutch! This is Abigail! And Lilly! Lilly is carryin' your grandchildren, for chrissakes!" Arthur yelled, pleading with Dutch. "She's my wife! And we can't let Jack be made an orphan!"

Hosea growled. "Dutch, you can't be serious! She is _our_ daughter!"

"I..." Dutch looked at the ground. "I..."

Arthur glared up at Dutch. "I swear...you abandon 'em both, I won't never forgive you, Dutch! _Never!_ _"_

"Neither will I," Hosea snarled.

"Me neither," Karen and Sean both said.

Dutch shook his head and Arthur's eyes went wide. "Come on, boys," Dutch said. "Hyah!" Dutch and most of the group headed off, save for Sean, Sadie, Hosea, Tilly, and Arthur.

Arthur just stood there in shock. "Arthur bent over and started coughing, then he spit and wiped his mouth. "Well, I guess that's that, then. All them god damn years..."

"Come on, Arthur," Sadie said. "Let's go get Abigail and Lilly."

"I'm with ya," Sean said.

"Miss Tilly, Hosea, here..." Arthur grabbed the money from the train off his horse and put it on Tilly's horse. "You take some of this, too," he gave her a few bill folks from his satchel. "Take Jack and Karen and you wait at Copperhead Landing for Abigail, Mrs. Adler, and Sean."

"Thank you, Arthur," Tilly said.

"You're a good girl...you live a good life now, ya hear?"

"Alright, Arthur. I'll...I'll miss-"

"Me too, sweetheart...me too," Arthur said with a sad smile. "Jack, c'mere...be brave, son. I'm gonna go get your momma." Arthur walked to Rose and climbed on. "Mrs. Adler, Mr. MacGuire, ride with me!"

Karen kissed Sean and climbed on the back of Hosea's horse Silver Dollar. Sean mounted on Ennis. Sean, Sadie and Arthur went running down the road towards Van Horn.

"I can't believe Dutch did that," Sean said. "I mean...I just can't believe it!"

"I know. I can't either," Arthur said.

"If they're puttin' Abigail on a boat, they'll probably dock at the north end of town, so I reckon we should go in the other way," Sadie offered.

"Sure, I guess. I don't know. Those god damn bastards..." Arthur snarled angrily.

"Look, just follow me, okay? We're gonna get this done, Arthur."

"Now he don't care if he orphans his friend's child or abandons his daughter so long as he gets rich?! All his god damn talk all them years! And for what? So some stupid magical orb and Micah the rat to manipulate him into doin' what he stood against?!

"Sure, guess he began to believe he was God, or somethin'."

"Or Micah was the one actin' like God, talkin' in Dutch's ear like he's been doin'."

Arthur's jaw went slack and he looked at Sean in disbelief. The phrase "he who is like the Lord" suddenly made sense. "Oh my God, that's it! Micah's the god damn rat for sure!"

Sean laughed. "Of course he's the rat. I done told ya this before, Englishman."

"Yes but now we got proof...kinda."

"How do you mean?"

Arthur told them both about Hawk Eye, the Indian shaman Lilly had been talking to, as well as the things the man had told his wife. It all fit perfectly all of a sudden. Symbolic meaning, indeed.

Sean laughed whole-heartedly. "That does make sense. Who woulda thought I'd help crack the case?"

* * *

Lilly and Abigail were dragged down the street towards the docks. While Abigail wasn't even handcuffed as Mr. Milton held her, Lilly was tied up in chains with an enchanted collar and three men had ahold of her. Still, the two women struggled and Lilly especially gave the men a hard time.

"When I get outta this, I'll kill the lot of yas! And I will get outta this!"

Mr. Milton laughed. "Nonsense, Mrs. Morgan. You're chained and your abilities are suppressed."

"I've been in far worse predicaments, Mr. Milton!"

One of the men laughed. "She's so feisty! I like her!"

"Oh shaddup, ya rotten piece of shite!" Lilly headbutted the man and he went down on his behind.

The other two laughed, as did Mr. Milton. "Mr. Pierce is going to have his work cut out for him."

Mr. Milton and the rest reached the docks and headed down towards the Van Horn Trading Post.

* * *

Arthur climbed the lighthouse steps quickly, sharpshooter in hand. He had to hurry despite his lungs hurting from the tuberculosis hindering him. He climbed the ladder, got up, and kicked the door open. He looked around a bit.

"Okay, Mr. Milton. Where are you?" Arthur looked down the scope. He saw movement near the trading post. He saw Lilly, Abigail, Mr. Milton, and a few other men dragging his wife along. Lilly was in chains and kicking up a fuss, as was Abigail, which was something Arthur definitely expected. "Heh heh." He zoomed in on Milton. "There you are, you bastard."

He watched as Abigail and Lilly were about to be shoved into the trading post building...then Brian and James showed up.

* * *

Lilly heard howling and looked over her shoulder. Gunshots were fired as her wolf brothers came running down the docks. Oh thank God. Of course the bullets hit them but that didn't seem to deter them one bit. Milton pushed the girls into the building and locked the door behind him.

* * *

Arthur chuckled as he watched Brian and James tear some men apart. After that was done, they charged the door and started breaking it. Arthur decided to take this opportunity and shoot others down. His first shot hit clean. He moved the scope about and saw Sadie and Sean shooting Pinkertons down.

* * *

Lilly watched in astonishment as the wolves tore through the door with their teeth and claws. They entered one at a time, snarling and cornering Mr. Milton. He shot at them but again, they were undeterred by the bullets. They pounced on Mr. Milton and he screeched as the boys clamped their jaws on him and ate him alive. Soon he was dead. Lilly let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Lilly went to the body and started digging in his pockets for keys. She found them and started unlocking her chains.

"Boys, you saved my arse again," Lilly said, her voice grateful and happy.

Abigail looked outside the door as shots were being fired. "I see Sadie and Sean. And someone's firin' from the lighthouse."

Lilly unlocked her collar and chuckled. "That's probably Arthur. But you don't see no one else from the gang?"

"No." Lilly thought this was odd. She'd expected everybody would have come to their rescue, but something obviously kept the rest from coming. "Let's get outta here."

Lilly tossed Abigail one of Milton's guns. "Brian, James, go kill some Pinkertons."


	73. The Goodbye

After escaping Van Horn and the Pinkertons, the gang members and the wolves found a spot to stop so Arthur could rest a little bit. He was wheezing like crazy and Lilly gave him another bottle of Rains Fall's strength tonic. He took it and told her he was feeling better, but her husband still looked like shit.

"Arthur, there's no time," Sadie said.

"There's time," Arthur disagreed breathlessly. He stretched out his arms to Abigail, who was on the rump of Sadie's horse Bob.

"What happened to John? Where's John?" Abigail asked.

"I-I don't," Arthur began. "I think..." Arthur held out his arms again and helped Abigail down. Sadie and Lilly also dismounted.

"Arthur..."

"He..." Arthur began with a shaky voice.

"What?"

"He got killed or he got captured."

Abigail lowered her head. "No." Sadie grabbed a hold of Abigail.

"I'm really sorry, Abigail, I'm...

"No!" Abigail cried out.

"I was on the train and didn't see it."

Lilly lowered her head. "No-o-o-o-o..." Abigail sobbed.

Arthur closed in on her. "Listen. We got Jack. He's safe. Mrs. Adler will take you to him, but...John...I want you to know this...he loved you. He loved you and Jack, he did. He wasn't perfect, but he did. Now...you gotta go get that boy. Go on, get outta here."

Sadie started to climb on Bob. "Arthur, what are you doin'?"

"I gotta go have a little chat before I get much sicker."

"Oh, Arthur," Abigail cried.

"Don't you "oh, Arthur" me...neither of you two, not now. You both know." Arthur put Abigail on the back of Sadie's horse. "You're good women...good people. The best. You go get that boy...there'll be time for sorrow later."

"I-If you're headed back there, Arthur," Abigail reached into her shirt, "take this. I don't," Abigail showed him a key, "need it anymore."

"What's that?"

"There's a chest in them caves. In the back to the left. Hidden under a wagon. Dutch's chest. With all our money. I know John told you I knew where it was." She gave the key to Arthur.

Arthur let out a breath of surprise. "Abigail Roberts."

Abigail took Arthur's hand. "I always was a good thief."

"That you was. Go on, get outta here." Arthur turned away from them and got on Rose as the women left.

Lilly fought the tears in her eyes. "Sean, you better go with 'em. Your wife is waitin' for you.

Sean nodded. "We'll wait at Copperhead's Landing for you, deirfiúr."

"Yes, deartháir."

Sean took off after the women and Lilly blinked. "Wait a minute. I thought we wasn't stealin' the money."

Arthur frowned and looked at her over his shoulder. "Lilly, Dutch abandoned you and Abigail. When Tilly came to tell us you guys got captured, he basically listened to Micah and went back to camp rather than save you two."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "Are ya feckin' serious?!"

"I'm afraid so, Lilly," Arthur said. "I couldn't believe it, either, but he did."

Lilly shut her eyes. "I need to go destroy that orb. Then maybe he'll stop actin' like a fool. I saw where it was, Arthur. It...come to think of it, it was right next to a chest I saw. You think that was the money?"

"Maybe. Well, let's go. We also need to expose Micah. I figured out that "he who is like the Lord" shit."

Lilly chuckled. "Did you?" she asked, kissing his cheek. "Well, don't worry. Milton spilled the beans on who their rat was. But tell me how you figured it out."

"I'll explain on the way, darlin'."

* * *

"Get them bags packed up quick, Miss Grimshaw," Micah demanded. "Come on! All of you!"

"Well, we're doin' our best!" Susan snapped.

"Hurry, we ain't got long...hurry!"

Arthur and the boys rode in as Lilly got off and started walking. "Oh, we got plenty of time, Mr. Bell!" she shouted. "Arthur and I need to have a chat with the lot of yas!"

"Mrs. Morgan, you're back with Black Lung. That's great!" Micah said, outstretching his arms with a bow. "Hurray."

"We uh, ahem, I was taken captive by the Pinkertons, _Dutch!_ _"_ Lilly exclaimed, bitterness coating her voice. "Now, is it true that you chose money over comin' to save me? Your very own kid?" Lilly stopped and shook her hands. "You know what? That ain't important."

Dutch looked at her shamefully. "Lilly, I-"

"SHUT UP!" Lilly's voice boomed. Dutch remained silent. "Anyway, I had a chat with Mr. Milton. Brian and James ate him, by the way." Brian and James went to her side, snarling at Dutch then at Micah. "So, he let it slip that Mr. Bell was, well, very well acquainted with him."

"What the hell are you talkin' about, you witch?" Micah asked her.

Lilly "ooo-hoo-hoo'ed" at Micah and paced, placing her arms behind her back. "Hmm, a bit testy, huh? Well, I guess I would be too if I was found out by the camp's witch. Not that I'd ever be a feckin' rat," Lilly said.

"That's a god damn lie."

"Oh, is it now? Mr. "He who is like the Lord", heh heh heh."

Dutch eyed Arthur and Lilly. "Now, what does my name have to do with this?" Micah asked.

Lilly stopped pacing amd guffawed as she looked at Arthur. "Well shit. That's a two-fer, my love. I was _not_ expectin' that. You see, Micah," Lilly looked at him and went back to pacing. "I have it on good authority that you are bein' manipulated to influence Dutch here to become the very type of man he always opposed on bein'."

Micah laughed. "I have no idea what you mean."

"The orb, Micah. I know about it and I know exactly where it is." Lilly saw Micah's face go pale and she smiled evily. "Oh, did I hit a nerve, Mr. Bell?"

"Lillian Rose Morgan, you stop this nonsense!" Dutch yelled.

Lilly glared at him. "You do not get to address me that way ever again, Dutch van der Linde."

"Lilly, please, I-"

Lilly held up a hand. "I'm still talking. Anyway, Micah is the rat. It all makes sense now, don't it?"

"No," Micah said. "It damn well doesn't."

Everyone drew out their guns and aimed them at various people. Brian and James' hackles went up and they showed their sharp fangs. Arthur and Lilly aimed at Micah. Micah, Bill, Cleet and Joe aimed at the married couple.

"Dutch, think!" Arthur snapped.

"Dutch, beee practical now," Micah warned.

"Dutch!" Lilly heard John yell and she gasped.

"John?" Bill said.

John came in, limping and holding his shoulder. "You left me...you left me to die!" John growled.

"My boy..." Dutch said as he walked from his tent. "I didn't have a choice. John I didn't..."

"You!"

"I didn't have a choice."

"Left me!"

"Oh, was that your reasonin' for leavin' Abigail and me behind too, Dutch?" Lilly asked him.

"It wasn't like that!" Dutch snarled at Lilly.

"The hell it wasn't!" Lilly shouted, her guns shaking as she aimed at Dutch with tears in her eyes. "I was your daughter! And you left Abigail and me to die!" Lilly aimed her guns back at Micah.

"All of you...you pick your side now, because this is over," Arthur said calmly. "Aaall them years, Dutch...for this snake?!"

"Oh, be quiet, cowpoke," Micah said. "Be quiet. You live in the clouds."

"No," Susan said, approaching the gun ring with a shot gun. "You be quiet, Mr. Bell, and put down your gun."

Lilly saw crows coming in as Javier came in. "There's Pinkertons comin', fast!"

Micah shot Susan before Lilly had a chance to say anything. "God dammit! I was supposed to save her, too!"

Dutch pulled out his guns and aimed at Arthur and Micah. "Now! Who amongst you," Lilly listened to Susan groaning and crying from the pain but she couldn't do a thing about it, watching Dutch walk along sideways through the ring, "is with me..." he turned, still

aiming at Micah and Arthur. "And who, is betrayin' me?"

John joined Arthur and Lilly's side but everyone else moved to Dutch's side. "Arthur, I need to get to that orb."

"I know. Bill, Javier, think, think for yourselves!" Arthur said before he started coughing.

"He's lyin'," Micah said. "Heee'sss lyyyiiinnnggg."

Dutch looked at Lilly. "Lilly, you're gonna betray me?"

"You betrayed me first. Besides, I made an oath to Arthur, to always have his back," Lilly growled. "You may be my father but he is my husband."

"Put your guns down!" a man yelled.

Shooting started and everyone ducked. "God dammit! Move!" Dutch shouted.

Lilly took cover behind a box. "You ready, John?" Arthur asked as he also took cover behind a box.

"Yeah," John replied.

"Everyone get down!" Dutch shouted.

"Brian, James, kill!" Lilly shouted. She watched as her brothers started chasing after men on horses. Lilly started shooting Pinkertons down. _"This would go much faster if you let me out, Lilly,"_ said Adair.

"I know, but they got iron spikes and shit. They'll shoot you down as soon as they see you.

_"...You have a good point."_

"This is Agent Ross with the Pinkerton Detective Agency! Put your guns down!"

The firing of guns echoed through the air as Lilly kept on shooting. "The others have run for it!" John shouted.

"It's just us anyways, John!" Arthur pointed out.

"Where's Van der Linde? Get after them and find him!" Ross shouted at some men.

"Come on, guys! Into the caves!" John yelled.

Lilly whistled for her boys and they came running as she ran into the caves with her husband and John. Perhaps this was her chance to destroy the orb. "Arthur, I gotta get that orb!"

"We don't got time for that!" he yelled at her. "Just run!"

Lilly pushed on with her group as they were chased from behind. Lilly passed the wagon and saw the orb. "I gotta do it!" She shot at it but it did nothing. "Shit!"

_"You have to burn it, Lilly!"_

Lilly went for it but Arthur grabbed her. "Lilly, there ain't time!"

Lilly scowled and went running after Arthur. "Those bastards left me for dead!" John snarled.

"Seems that's what they do now!" Arthur barked.

"Micah was the rat, John! Milton told me!" Lilly snapped out as John found a ladder and started climbing.

Arthur coughed. "We should've killed him months ago!" John said.

"Shit! What about..

oh." Lilly changed into Adair and scruffed Brian and James. "This is going to be uncomfortable, boys." She flew up and landed on a ledge with them. Arthur coughed and hacked as he ran. "Damn, Arthur, this is taxing you a lot. Let me carry you."

Arthur waved her off. "I'm not about to be carried off like a fuckin' maiden!"

Adair laughed as she grabbed the boys again and flew up to the exit. John and Arthur followed up the ladder just as Adair changed back into Lilly. It was dark now. Once they were up, Arthur bent over and wheezed out a few coughs. Lilly gave him another strength elixir and he took it. They ran down the hill and whistled for their mounts.

Arthur coughed again. Lilly knew that Rains Fall's wasn't working so well with Arthur as he was doing a lot of running around today. "Abigail...Abigail's safe. So's Jack," Arthur breathed out.

"Where are they?" John asked him.

"They're with Sadie...at Copperhead Landing."

John took Arthur's hand. "Thank you...brother."

John went to go but Arthur kept his grip on him. "I want you...to not look back...like I said."

Doc, Tessa, and Old Boy came up and they all mounted up. Just then, the remaining Van der Linde gang members came riding up on them and started shooting. Arthur, Lilly and John started running quickly. They got down the trail quite a ways when more Pinkertons showed up, but the three of them dealt with those bastards rather quickly. But more kept coming. More blocked the road so they had to turn around. Lilly just kept on shooting and riding and shooting, her boys doing a lot of the work of killing but soon she lost sight of them. It was in that moment that Lilly went flying off Doc. He'd been shot. Lilly fell on her ass, got up, and started shooting every Pinkerton in sight. Apparently Old Boy and Tessa had been shot too. Lilly went to Doc's side but was already dead. Lilly kissed and hugged his neck. Oh, her poor Doc. Her poor, insufferable bastard of a horse. Lilly, with tears in her eyes, looked up as Arthur calmed his own dying horse. She'd have to go back for Liath as well as the orb...once all the Pinkertons were gone.

 _"Lilly, let me finish them all off!"_ Adair snarled in her brain.

"No, Adair. I gotta go back for the orb." Lilly grabbed her bow, her arrows, her shotgun, and her repeater from her dead horses' saddle.

"Lilly, Arthur, let's go!" John yelled.

"Well, what about the orb?!" Lilly snapped. "I need to destroy it!"

"Even after all this, you still wanna save Dutch?" John asked her with disbelief in his voice.

Lilly bent at the waist. "Yes. I have to try."

"I head down there, I'm dead in five minutes. I got a family, that's more important."

"You're right, John. But...he's my family. I have to try."

"You wanna try? You head down. I gotta go to my family."

Lilly nodded. "Okay. Arthur?"

Arthur sighed. "I'm gonna help John get to his family." Arthur walked to her and gave her the key to the chest. "Just in case you got time."

Lilly chuckled and kissed her husband passionately. Arthur held her close in his arms, then he pressed a forehead to hers. "Tá grá agam duit." _[I love you.]_

Lilly's eyes welled up with tears. "Tá grá agam duit." _[I love you.]_

Arthur kissed her forehead and held her face in his hands. "If I don't make it, I-"

"Don't ya be sayin' that, ya bastard," Lilly sobbed. "I will see you again...mo chuisle, mo fear álainn, mo bithiúnach." _[my pulse, my beautiful man, my reprobate.]_

Arthur kissed her again. "Mo grá, mo shaol, mo bhean chéile. _[My love, my life, my wife.]_ "Myne owne hertis rote."

"Oh, my fhear céile..." _[my husband...]_

"Arthur, we gotta go," John said quietly.

Lilly and Arthur kissed again before he knelt down and kissed her stomach. "I love you, Aoífe and Arthur Junior. You two be good."

Arthur got back up and kissed Lilly one last time. "Copperhead Landing, remember?"

Lilly nodded. Arthur turned and walked away from her to John. "Let's go, John."

As they passed over the ridge and out of sight, Lilly fell to her knees and wept silently for a few moments. Then she wiped her eyes, got up, and started running back down the hill. She ran into her brothers and Brian lowered to the ground. She laughed sadly and climbed on him, surprised that he was big enough to carry her. Brian and James began running back towards Beaver Hollow and Lilly fired upon and killed Pinkertons as they went. When she reached Beaver Hollow, she saw the camp was on fire. Shit. All her belongings...fuck it. She would get more. Brian and James ran into the cave amd Lilly got to wagon where the orb was. She got off Brian, took off her jacket, and put the orb in the cloth. She looked at the chest for a moment before getting back up and running back to the front of the cave with her brothers. Lilly ran out, swung her jacket, and threw it into one of the fires. A loud screeching noise came from the orb as it cracked and black smoke rose from it. Lilly covered her ears from the noise and she watched as it melted. The sound dissipated and Lilly uncoverred her ears.

"Boys, we need to track Arthur."

* * *

Arthur, beaten and bloody, started crawling towards the gun. "Oh Black Lung," Micah said. "You ain't gonna reach that gun. You ain't." Micah started getting up. "You lost, my sick friend. You lost."

Arthur still crawled anyway, wheezing his way up. "In the end, Micah, despite my best efforts to the contrary, it turns out I've won," Arthut wheezed out. "God damn ya," he said as he grabbed the gun only for Dutch to put his foot on Arthur's hand, which made Arthur cry out a little.

"It is over now, Arthur," Dutch said. "It's over."

"Oooh, Dutch," Arthur said breathlessly. "He's a rat. You know it and I know it."

"He's sick," Micah said. "He's dyin'...he's talkin' crazy."

Arthur looked up at Dutch, shaking and struggling to breathe. "I gave you and Lilly all I had...I did." Suddenly Dutch and Micah started convulsing and black smoke came out of their throats. It came with a mighty roar, as if their insides were in fire. They screamed but the smoke disappeared and they fell to their knees. Arthur started to laugh breathlessly. "She did it. Lilly actually did it. Heh heh heh..."

Dutch looked at Arthur and blinked a few times. "What in the...oh Arthur...what have I done?" Dutch said with the most depressed voice he'd ever heard.

Micah coughed a few times and grunted. "Boy, what in the hell happened to me?" Arthur watched Micah stand up, looking confused as ever. "Oh...I did bad a thing, boss. Bad things."

Arthur looked up at Dutch, laying on his back. "John made it. He's the only one. But the rest of us...no. But...I tried. In the end...I did." Arthur gasped, still fighting to breathe air.

Dutch looked at Micah. "You. You're the rat."

"Now now, Dutch, that weren't my fault. I-"

A gunshot rang out and Micah fell dead. Lilly was behind him with her revolver smoking. She was breathing heavily as she glared at Dutch. "I told you he was the rat."

Arthur tried to sit up but couldn't. "Lilleh...is that you?"

Lilly ran to his side and held his hand. "I'm here, mo chuisle." Dutch started backing up. Lilly looked up at him. "Da? You okay?"

Dutch shook his head. "Oh Lilly...what have I done?"

"It weren't your fault, Da."

Dutch shook his head. "What have I done?"

Lilly sighed and looked down at Arthur. "Mo chuisle, I'm here."

Arthur looked up at his wife and smiled softly. "John made it."

"Good. You did good, Arthur."

Brian and James came up with a whine. "How did..." Arthur swallowed hard. "How'd you get up here so fast?"

"Adair. Now come on, we gotta get you to a doctor."

"No," Arthur shook his head. "Lilly, I'm dyin'."

Lilly glared at him. "Like hell you are. C'mon, don't be a stubborn ox." Tears filled her eyes. "You're gonna be...you're gonna be okay."

Arthur lifted a hand and wiped a tear from her eye. "Liar."

"Bithiúnach," she sobbed. "Please don't leave me. Not now. I'm not ready for this."

Arthur wheezed again. "Who is ever ready for dyin'? At least...at least I have no regrets now."

Lilly pressed her forehead to his as the sun started to come up. "Meet me in the circle of pine trees?" she asked.

"Y-Yes...my...my wife."

Lilly kissed his forehead and looked down at him. Arthur took a few more breaths, but then he exhaled slowly and that was the end of it as his eyes closed. Lilly started sobbing and crying and laid on his chest. "No..." she wept. "No no noooo..."

Dutch went to Lilly and knelt beside her. "Lilly, I am so sorry. For everything."

Lilly looked him, then she practiy jumped into his arms and Dutch held her tightly as she cried into his shoulder.

* * *

Lilly, after finding a proper burial site for her deceased husband, knelt down next to him and switched their pocketwatches so Arthur would be buried with hers and she would keep his with her, for always. "Now...I have somethin' to remember you by, my love," she sniffled.

She opened the watch and started to cry again. In it was a picture of them both with the wolves. She'd plumb forgotten to show him the pictures from Mr. Mason. Charles had managed to find them and helped bury Arthur on a small ridge in the northern peaks of Ambarino, northeast of Bacchus Station. Lilly was beyond devastated but managed to pick flowers and set them on his grave.

* * *

Lilly, Dutch, Charles and the wolves eventually made it to Copper's Landing. Lilly explained everything to eberyone, about the dark orb that had possessed both Micah and Dutch. They were all surprisingly forgiving. Now they just had to decide who was going to Ireland and who was staying there in the states. Karen amd Sean obviously wanted to go to Ireland. John, Abigail, and Jack decided to go too. Sadie wished it and decided to come with. Tilly did as well. Hosea and Dutch agreed they had to come and watch their grandchildren grow up. Charles agreed to come. So it was all decided. After hiding for a couple weeks, Lilly finally got word from Patrick that he was in Saint Denis waiting for her. The gang met up with him at The Hotel Grand. Lilly hugged him happily.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, Patrick," she said happily.

Patrick kissed her cheek. "Likewise, lass." He looked around and frowned. "Um, where is Arthur?"

Lilly tried so hard not to cry at the mention of her husband's name, but she failed and burst into tears. "He didn't make it," she whimpered.

Patrick held her close and frowned even more. "I am so, so sorry, Lillian. God...I...I don't know what to...woa!" Patrick looked down at her belly. "Did yer bairns just kick me?"

Lilly giggled and wiped her tears. "I think so."

* * *

After a few days of getting things in order, they all took the train to New York. When they got there, Lilly watched as men loaded up Rose and Liath. The Irish woman had insisted on keeping Arthur's horse. And when they finally boarded, they waved goodbye to the states. Lilly stood on the balcony of her apartment room with Sean, Karen and Patrick.

"Well, looks like we're starting a new adventure," Sean said. "That's a good thing, right?"

Lilly nodded meekly. "Of course."

Patrick put an arm around Lilly and kissed her temple. "Just remember, we are all here for you, Lilly."

Sean and Karen hugged Lilly and she hugged everyone. "Thank you. But...I just need to be alone right now, if that's okay."

They all agreed and left Lilly to her own devices. Lilly stayed there until dusk fell, staring at Arthur's watch the whole time. Finally, she kissed it and put it in her satchel. She walked back into her apartment, feeling in need of a nap.

* * *

It was a few weeks later and while everyone had acclimatized to the cold weather of Ireland, Lilly remained in her room for most of the duration. She only came out to eat and relieve herself, which was barely at all. Patrick came to visit often, but Lilly was still downtrodden and depressed over the loss of her husband. She had nightmares of his death on occasion, to which Hosea and Dutch often tried to comfort her afterwards. It was of no use, though, at least not without her regular herbs or her chamomile tea. One day, though, Patrick came calling and stormed up to her bedroom. He pushed the door open and slammed it behind him, making Lilly jump a little as she laid in bed.

"Lillian Rose, ya need to get up!" he barked.

"...I don't want to," she said meekly.

Patrick groaned and yanked off her blankets. "Lilly, get up!"

"I said I dunna wantah!" Patrick picked her up in his arms and she squirmed. "Hey! What the hell are ya-"

Patrick tweaked her nose. "Shut up and listen. Ya canna just stay in bed all day and waste away like a corpse! Arthur wouldna have wanted that, right?"

"Dunna be talkin' about me husband!" Lilly snapped.

Patrick growled and cradled her. "I'm sorry Lilly, but this canna go on!"

Lilly struggled in his arms but he was surprisingly strong despite her super human strength. Or she couldn't find the strength to really fight him. It was the latter, for she suddenly burst into tears. "Patrick, I dunna want people tah see me like this! Please!"

Patrick stopped at the door and glared at her. "Then quit yer blubberin', lass! Smile, fer fuck's sake!"

"No!"

Patrick kicked the door open and brought her down the stairs. "Then yer gonna eat like the rest of us like a strong countess should!" Lilly cried but found that she couldn't argue. All she could do was cry into his shoulder and cling to him. Patrick decreased in speed and kissed her head. "Lilly, I hate seein' ya like this. Ya gotta eat, then yer gonna have a bath, then yer gonna get dressed and yer gonna go hunting with me. As yer elder and former betrothed, I order it!"

"Fuck you, Patrick!"

"Oh, fuck you too!" he laughed. "Ya damn spitfire from hell!"

"Bastard!"

"Insufferable wench!"

"Horrible man!"

Patrick brought her into the kitchen and sat down. "Eat!"

"No!"

Patrick growled and grabbed a bowl of stew. "If not fer me, do it fer the bairns!"

Lilly started to sob again. "Just leave me alone!"

"No! We all left ya alone fer too long, Countess Morgan! Now eat!"

Dutch and Hosea came running in. "What the hell is all this yellin' about?" Dutch asked in shock.

"I'm tryin' to get her lazy, pathetic arse outta bed and tah eat fer the babies!" After ten minutes of fighting and alarming the whole household, Lilly eventually conceded and ate her stew. Slowly. During that, Patrick told Breena to run her a bath. When Lilly finished her food, Patrick dragged her to the bathing room. "Now fer a bath!"

"Christ, Patrick! I can wash me own self!"

"No! I am supervisin' tah make sure of it!"

Lilly scoffed. "Ya canna do that! I wilna allow ya tah see me naked!"

"Oh, like I havena seen ya naked before!"

"As a child, yes! Not as a woman!"

"Who said ya had tah be naked?" Patrick picked her up and dropped her into the tub, clothes and all.

"What the fuck, Patrick!?"

"Breena, please bring the Countess some clothes to go hunting in."

Breena curtsied with a look of shock and went running. Lilly rubbed her face and scowled at Patrick as members of the gang peeked in. "Patrick, yer an arse!"

"Yes! I'm an arse, but I'm an arse who cares about ya! Now stop yer crying and let's go hunting!"

"I dunna wantah hunt!"

Patrick laugh. "Ya been hunting since the day ya were born, lass! Now wash!"

Lilly scowled, grabbed some soap and started scrubbing her arms. "I hate ya, Patrick Nolan!"

"I hate ya too! Now stop yer god damn yelling and scrub, ya bitch!"

Sean started laughing. "You sound just like Arthur."

Lilly stopped scrubbing, looked at the water and started to weep. She threw the soap at the wall and it cracked in tiny pieces. She got out of the tub and started throwing things around. She lifted the copper tub from its side and pushed it over, making water fall everywhere. She stared up at the ceiling and screamed at the top of her lungs. "FUCK YA, MORRIGAN, YA LYIN' BITCH! MAY THE DEVIL MAKE SPLINTERS OF YER FUCKIN' LEGS!"

Patrick grabbed ahold of Lilly. "That's it, girl. Let it all out."

"IT IS THE PLACE BELOW THAT IS MEANT FER YA, YA DEVIL! SIX HORSELOADS OF GRAVEYARD CLAY UPON YA!"

Patrick chuckled. "Keep goin', lass."

"CURSE OF THE SEVEN SNOTTY ORPHANS ON YA!MAY THE LAMB OF GOD STIR HIS HOOF THROUGH THE ROOF OF HEAVEN AND KICK YA IN THE ARSE DOWN TAH HELL! IF YA EAT, THAT YA MAY NOT SHIT!"

Patrick backed off as him and the rest started giggling. "Keep it up, lass."

"MAY ALL THE GOATS IN GOREY CHASE YA TAH HELL! MAY YA MELT OFF THE EARTH LIKE SNOW ON A DITCH! MAY THE FUCKIN' CURSE OF MARY FUCKIN' MALONE AND HER NINE GOD DAMN BLIND ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN CHASE YA SO FAR OVER THE GOD DAMN HILLS OF DAMNATION THAT THE FUCKIN' LORD CANNA FIND YAS WITH A GOD DAMN TELESCOPE, YA STUPID, SACK OF SHITE, LYIN', HOOR OF A GODDESS!" Lilly fell to her knees and started breathing heavily. "She...fuckin'...LIED!"

Patrick knelt down and wrapped his arms around her. "You're alright lass. Let it out."

Lilly cried into Patrick's neck and clung to him, her whole body trembling. "I...I hate her, Patrick. She lied to me."

"I know, Lilly, I know," Patrick said, rubbing her back softly.

Lilly looked around at the floor and sobbed. "I...I'm sorry about the tub."

"It's alright, I'll get this room fixed, love, it's okay."

"Ya dunna haftah do that."

"Yes I do." Patrick helped her up and dried her tears. "There there, girl. Do ya feel better now?"

"A...a little."

"Good. Now, are ya gonna get dressed and go hunting with me?"

"Uh huh."

"Good girl. Now go up and get dressed and I'll have people take care of this, okay?"

Lilly sniffled and nodded. Lilly went up and got dressed, then came back down in a black buttoned shirt, black pants, and black western boots. Her hair was now brushed and in a braid. Her and Patrick went out hunting with the boys and caught two red deer to bring home for supper. Lilly skinned the deer herself and even helped cook the meat. Then when it was done, she sat down with everyone and ate. She even conversed a bit for the first time she had in weeks, really. She did feel better after hunting, which she always did when she was stressed. Patrick even got her to laugh a few times. After supper, Lilly did decide to retire for the evening. She was pregnant with twins, after all, and for the first time in weeks, she had a good dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, such a sad ending. But anyway, part of the sequel is up if you want to go ahead and start reading that.


End file.
